Cebu City, Philippines—The molecular laboratory at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center here can begin testing for samples for the coronavirus, but the tests are limited.
This was divulged during a press conference headed by Cebu City officials and officials of the Department of Health (DOH) on Friday, March 20, 2020 at the Cebu City Hall.
The molecular laboratory can run 20 to 25 samples a day in two cycles.
Results can be released within 24 hours.
The tests will be prioritized for those who have influenza like illness with high risk to the coronavirus. They will be tested for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the molecular laboratory immediately.
The DOH said that are no longer persons under investigations or persons under monitoring since local transmissions have already been recorded. The DOH is now focusing on the illness.