VSMMC to start running tests from field samples

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The subnational laboratory of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) will now start running coronavirus disease (COVID-19) tests for samples taken from field testing.

Dr. Jaime Bernadas, regional director of the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7), said they are expecting specimens taken from patients with influenza-like illnesses (ILI) in the towns to already start arriving the the VSMMC SNL to be subjected for testing.

“Atong ipahibalo nga walay backlog ang VSMMC SNL. Tanan nga moabot, ma-run dayon,” Bernadas said.

(We wish to inform the public that the VSMMC SNL does not have backlog samples. All the samples that arrive here are immediately run for testing.)

“Nag-sampling na man ta sa atong mga ILI cases nga giprioritize nato tong mga sympotomatics. Region-wide ni siya, including Cebu province and Metro Cebu naa natay mga collection ani,” Bernadas said.

(We have already started taking samples from the ILI cases. We are prioritizing those that have symptoms. This is a region-wide sampling including areas in Cebu province and Metro Cebu.)

On Wednesday, April 1, 2020, the DOH-7 announced three additional confirmed COVID-19 cases in Cebu.

Two of the new cases were under home quarantine when their samples were taken.

One of them was the 31-year-old male patient from Mandaue City who has recent travel history to Manila. Bernadas said the patient, who is believed to be the source of the viral infection of a couple in Barangay Talamban in Cebu City, is under home quarantine.

Read: First COVID-19 case in Consolacion ‘imported’; DOH-7 reports 2 ‘recoveries’ in Cebu City

Meanwhile, the other new positive case who is from Consolacion was also tested after showing ILI. The patient, a 54-year-old professional, has a recent travel history abroad.

The patient, who was under home quarantine when he was tested, is now admitted in a hospital in Cebu City, according to Consolacion Mayor Joannes Alegado. /bmjo