The Department of Health (DOH) has certified a COVID-19 testing laboratory in Cavite, reports ABS-CBN News. The De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute (DLSMHSI) in Dasmariñas, Cavite can now perform independent tests for COVID-19 through reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). It is considered the gold standard in coronavirus testing, according to experts.
According to the report, DLSMHSI will start testing COVID-19 frontline workers next week. Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla posted on Facebook, ““Time to work. Time to implement our healing strategy. Next week, we will start testing the frontliners for free.”
The Philippines has 24 COVID-19 laboratories which include the Chinese General Hospital, Lung Center of the Philippines, Makati Medical Center, Marikina Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, San Lazaro Hospital, St. Luke's Medical Center in BGC and in Quezon City, and V. Luna Hospital.
As of writing, Cavite has 205 COVID-19 cases, with Bacoor having the most number of infections at 63.