ILOILO City – The Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) sub-national laboratory in Mandurriao district aims to hasten its testing of specimens for the possible presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), beginning this week.
“We procured another automated RNA extraction machine so that mapadamo ta ang capacity sa pag-test up to 1,000 specimens per day,” said Dr. Stephanie Abello, chief pathologist of WVMC.
The RNA extraction machine would be delivered this week.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), ramping up testing is the best way to slow the spread of COVID-19 as shown in China, South Korea and Singapore.
Without testing, cases cannot be isolated and the chain of infection will not be broken, said WHO secretary general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
From March 23 to May 8, WVMC analyzed 6,002 specimens. These came from 5,288 persons.
The discrepancy in figures was due to the fact that some persons were extracted with specimens several times for repeat tests, Abello explained.
As of May 8, WVMC was able to release 5,153 test results. That day, the total number of COVID-19 positive persons in the region stood at 92, data from the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6 showed.
According to Abello, the WVMC laboratory tests an average of 200 to 300 specimens daily and this takes about 18 to 24 hours.
There are four processes involved:
a. receiving the specimen (documentation involved)
b. taking the specimen to the negative pressure room (for disinfection)
c. RNA extraction
d. testing using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machine
“Naga-delay lang kita sa pag-type sang results, especially kon 500 samples ang gina-run,” said Abello.
Thus, said Abello, local government units, hospitals and the DOH receive the test results in 24 to 48 hours from the submission of the specimens.
WVMC’s laboratory can test as many as 500 specimens a day, said Abello.
At one point recently it tested 533, said Abello, but it proved too exhausting for the two medical technologists doing the tests and their 11 technical staff.
The 11 technical staff receive the specimen, assist the two medical technologists, and type the results, said Abello.
For his part, Dr. Glen Alonsabe, head of DOH Region 6’s Epidemiology Surveillance Unit, said the following are being prioritized for COVID-19 testing:
* symptomatic individuals with history of travel to areas with COVID-19 cases
* those with close contact to symptomatic COVID-19 individuals
* individuals at high-risk of infection such as pregnant women, senior citizens with co-morbidities and persons with disability
* repatriates/PN
