SAMPLE SURGE. Swab samples in boxes sent by local government units to the Eastern Visayas Regional Covid-19 Testing Center (EVRCTC) in Tacloban City. Due to the increasing demand for testing of suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) carriers, EVRCTC has stopped for three days accepting specimens from local government units starting Monday (July 6, 2020). (Photo courtesy of EVRCTC)
TACLOBAN CITY – Due to the increasing demand for testing of suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) carriers, the Eastern Visayas Regional Covid-19 Testing Center (EVRCTC) in this city has stopped for three days accepting specimens from local government units starting Monday.
In an advisory issued on Sunday, the EVRCTC said the three-day suspension in accepting samples will allow the laboratory to follow the schedule of submission starting July 9. This in compliance with the advisory issued by the Department of Health Eastern Visayas regional office on July 3.
“The maximum capacity of the laboratory is only 400 per day. We are trying our best to increase this to 500. Because of sample surge, there will be an inevitable delay in the release of results,” the center said in a statement.
Last week, the state-run laboratory has received up to 2,000 samples in a single day or five times more than its capacity. Since the opening of EVRCTC on May 11, it has already released 8,437 results with 6 percent of samples being positive.
On Saturday, the Department of Health in Eastern Visayas urged the disease reporting units of the provinces to strictly follow the criteria in submitting specimens for coronavirus testing to avoid unnecessary rejection.
In an advisory on July 3, DOH Eastern Visayas director Minerva Molon said submitted specimen with incomplete documents, mislabeled universal transport medium (UTM), leaking primary containers and insufficient quantity would be rejected.
Required documents include the request form from EVRCTC here, case investigation form, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation claim form, and line list.
“All of them must be filled out completely and legibly, including the contact person and number. UTM must be properly labeled with the patient’s full name, age, and time collection,” Molon said.
She added that triple packaging must be strictly observed, and specimens must be stored in a transport box packed with dry ice and cold blocks.
Samples from health workers and hospitals in-patients must be in a separate container for prioritization, the health official said.
The DOH regional epidemiology and surveillance unit will receive the specimens from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Monday for Southern Leyte and Samar, Tuesday for Leyte and Biliran, Wednesday for Samar and Northern Samar, Thursday for Eastern Samar and Southern Leyte, and Friday for Leyte and Biliran.
To date, Eastern Visayas has 577 confirmed Covid-19 cases, including 321 recoveries and three deaths. (PNA)
