City ramps up mass testing

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

The Iloilo City government has extracted almost 3,000 swab samples as part of its mass testing effort against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In his Facebook post, Mayor Jerry Treñas said they have extracted 2,992 swab samples mostly from contacts of confirmed cases, City Hall employees and health and security frontliners in the COVID-19 response efforts.

The swabs were subjected to reverse transcription- Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test which is the most accurate way of detecting SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Treñas said mass testing is the only way to trace COVID-19 cases in the city as the crisis is far from over amid more relaxed quarantine measures.

Apart from the test kits procured by the city government, donations from the private sector also augmented the city’s effort to address the health crisis.

Among the latest donor is MORE Electric and Power Corp. headed by President Roel Castro who turned over on Tuesday afternoon to Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas and city health officials an additional 500 rapid test kits for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The rapid test kits are used as basis for confirmatory test using the RT-PCR technology.

Treñas said the donation will help boost the city’s aim to keep the city free from COVID-19 infection.

In April 2020, MORE Power, the power distributor in Iloilo City, also donated 500 test kits and Personal Protective Equipment for front liners.

The City Government also rolled out plans to establish a testing laboratory in July.

Treñas said the new facility will boost their capacity to manage COVID-19 cases.

“We expect the procurement of the machine by middle of June as we fast-track the opening of the laboratory for city residents,” Treñas said.

He noted the machine is also capable of testing dengue and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Some P15 million was initially allotted for the testing center project.

The proposed Iloilo City COVID Lab and Dormitory was presented at the City Hall on May 15 by Architects Regi Gregorio and Jun Balinas of the City Engineer’s Office.

It will be situated at the old site of City Agriculturist’s Office in MH del Pilar in Molo district and will be completed in July 2020.

Treñas said the proposed lab will augment the capacity of the subnational reference lab at Western Visayas Medical Center in Mandurriao district.

The West Visayas State University Medical Center in La Paz is now on Stage 3 (personnel training) at RITM for its own laboratory.

Also, three private hospitals – The Medical City Iloilo in Molo, Metro Iloilo Hospital and Medical Center in Jaro and Qualimed Iloilo in Mandurriao – expressed interest to be accredited as testing centers. (With a report from Iloilo City PIO)