MANILA – At least 43 employees of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa City have tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), forcing the country’s main testing center to scale down its laboratory operations.
RITM director Dr. Celia Carlos said employees who contracted the viral disease were mildly sick. They were placed under quarantine at RITM’s dormitory facility, she added.
“Hindi naman po sila severely ill. ‘Yung iba po mildly sick so naka quarantine lang po sila dito sa aming dormitory facility.’Yung iba po medyo serious ang symptoms at sa hospital sila naka admit,” Carlos told CNN Philippines.
Carlos however said they are not sure if the employees got infected within the RITM premises or from their communities since they also engaged in other activities outside work.
As a result of its reduced manpower, the RITM, according to Carlos, will be prioritizing processing the test results of its employees. They will also process specimens from nearby Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Las Piñas, and Pasay City.
As of Tuesday, there were an estimated 5,000 specimens pending for COVID-19 confirmation in RITM laboratories.
Meanwhile, the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong has reported 18 more prisoners and one jail worker infected with COVID-19 after coming in contact with a sick inmate.
The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) announced on Tuesday that 19 more people inside the jail facility have tested positive for COVID-19, just days after a female inmate was brought to a government hospital and was confirmed to be infected.
“They are now being monitored and given vitamins, medicines and food supplements to strengthen their immune system,” BuCor said in a statement./PN
