The conduct of mass testing for the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Iloilo City is set to start on Monday, April 13, according to Mayor Jerry Treñas.
“Our medical technologists are preparing to go on mass testing starting Monday,” Treñas said in a statement.
The mayor believes that mass testing is the only way to find out the actual number of people in the city infected with the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
Treñas said all those identified as patients under investigation (PUIs) for COVID-19 will tested first.
He thanked the national government, Office of the President in the Visayas, Department of Health (DOH), Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), and businessmen who donated test kits for “making this possible.”
The Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) in Mandurriao dictrict is so far the only COVID-19 testing center in the whole region. It started testing samples for the disease early last month.
In an interview with Dr. May Ann Sta. Lucia, DOH-6 spokesperson, she said the accreditation of the West Visayas State University Medical Center (WVSUMC) in La Paz district as COVID-19 testing facility is currently being evaluated. IMT
facility is currently being evaluated.IMT
