Manila launches 3rd Covid-19 walk-in testing center

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MANILA – The city government of Manila on Wednesday launched its third coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) walk-in testing center at the Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital in Binondo.

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said the serology testing machine located just outside the hospital can eventually process about 400 to 500 tests per day, although for now, they will start processing 300 tests.

Currently, the city already has a drive-thru, mobile, and walk-in Covid-19 testing centers.

“Sa ngayon meron tayong dalawang drive thru, running two weeks na, merong saturation drive yung mobile testing natin na bumababa sa mga barangay sa Maynila na may high percent, based on data so inuuna nating I saturate sa mass testing yung mga barangay na may mataas na confirmed cases (For now we have two drive-thru centers, which are running for two weeks now, we have saturation drive through the mobile testing which goes down to the barangays with high Covid-19 cases based on data)”.

Domagoso said the city is buying another serology testing machine to be deployed at the Ospital ng Tondo.

He said he plans to saturate every area of Manila for the mass Covid-19 testing to effectively identify and trace those who are positive with the disease so that they will be isolated at once, taken care of, and ultimately, avoid the further spread of the virus.

So far, Domagoso said more than 25 percent of those who underwent Covid-19 testing were found positive.

“Tama ang DOH nung sinabi niya na 69 percent ng mga nag confirm or active cases ay mga asymptomatic (The DOH was right when they said that 69 percent of those confirmed or considered active cases are asymptomatic). If that is the case, then we are in the right direction to use antibody lab tests,” Domagoso said.

The mobile COVID-19 serology machines are being deployed to different barangays every day.

Domagoso said for this week, they are placed in areas with the highest number of confirmed Covid-19 positive cases.

He said in a barangay where 100 people underwent the Covid-19 testing recently, 39 were found to be positive, which is 39 percent of the number tested in that area.

“There is somebody who is walking around who already have Covid-19. With that information at least maga-guide na kaagad yung tao para mapangalagaan niya ang sarili niya at hindi na siya makahawa (We can guide and help that person so that he does not spread the virus),” he said.

Aside from the serology testing machine, the city still uses rapid test kits.

The city also has a laboratory for swab tests.

As of this writing, they have already conducted about 18,400 PCR tests since they started in March, which are services given for free.

The Covid-19 tests being done by the city of Manila may also be availed for free by non-residents, Domagoso said.