MANILA -- The Department of Health (DOH) assured on Wednesday that it has enough stocks of protective personal equipment (PPEs) and test kits to be used by healthcare workers in quarantine facilities and persons under investigation (PUIs) for possible coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-2019) infection.
"Our stocks, logistics, may mga dumarating pa from our partners, may mga nagbibigay ng donasyon ng PPEs like the World Health Organization (WHO), nakapagbigay na rin ang Office of the President ng supply ng (we continue to receive [stocks] from our partners, like donations of PPEs from WHO, the OP also gave supply of) masks," Health Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a press briefing at the DOH main office.
Earlier, the DOH reported that the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) has enough testing kits to last the current Covid-19 episode.
“The RITM has 1,500 kits, more than enough for the current PUIs, and fresh shipment of 1,500 kits from the World Health Organization will arrive in the coming days, bringing to 3,000 the total of test kits on standby," the DOH said.
Vergeire added the DOH is preparing for the eventuality that Covid-19 cases in the country would go up.
"Na-grant na po tayo ng (We've been granted a) supplemental budget and most of this budget goes to our personal protective equipment for our healthcare workers," she said.
As of 12 noon of February 19, the DOH reported only 135 PUIs are admitted in various health facilities nationwide and a total of 401 PUIs have been discharged as they tested negative for the disease.
Meanwhile, the WHO reported there are 74,185 confirmed cases and more than 2,000 deaths in China.
It added there are more than 800 confirmed cases and three deaths outside China. (PNA)
