KALIBO, Aklan – The provincial government here is eyeing for a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machine for the faster testing of samples for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Gov. Florencio Miraflores said that they are working on the plans of obtaining a testing machine with the help of Department of Health (DOH) Region 6 director Dr. Marlyn Convocar and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa.
Results from the PCR testing by trained personnel could be ready within just a day.
Miraflores added that they will prioritize persons under investigation (PUIs) manifesting severe symptoms as well as medical frontliner personnel in Aklan in the testing for the COVID-19 infection.
As this province closed its borders for the enhanced community quarantine on March 23, Miraflores said the procurement of PCR will cut short the processing of test samples by RITM and sub-national laboratories.
Currently, the samples taken from PUIs admitted in the Aklan provincial hospital in this capital town were brought to the DOH Regional Office and then to the RITM for testing.
In the Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City, on the other hand, there are four PCR machines that are operating already screen samples for the COVID-19.
As of March 22, the Provincial Health Office-Aklan reported 28 PUIs and 4,333 persons under monitoring.
Of the 28 PUIs, only two are in the said hospital, while the others are under home quarantine.(With a report from Akean Forum/PN)
