DRIVE-THRU TESTING. The first drive-thru swab testing facility for Covid-19 in Bulacan opens on Friday (Sept. 4, 2020) in Guiguinto town in line with the continuing effort to curb the dreaded disease. The specimens collected are brought to the Joni Villanueva Molecular Laboratory in Bocaue town and results will be released within three days. (Photo by Manny Balbin)
CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan – The first drive-thru swab testing facility for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in this province was opened on Friday in Guiguinto town in line with the continuing effort to curb the dreaded disease.
Guiguinto Mayor Ambrosio Cruz said interested motorists can avail of the drive-thru swab test for PHP3,500.
The specimens collected will be brought to the Joni Villanueva Molecular Laboratory in Bocaue and the result will be available within three days.
Cruz, also the president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Bulacan Chapter, said the molecular laboratory can perform 1,500 to 2,000 tests per day.
"Therefore, it can reach the minimum of 1 percent or 35,000 tests per month that must be performed in our province," the mayor said.
Named after the late Mayor Eleanor "Joni" Villanueva-Tugna, the molecular laboratory, which was opened to the public two weeks ago, is a project of the LMP-Bulacan Chapter.
Meanwhile, a total of 2,950 Bulakenyos have been infected with Covid-19 as the Provincial Health Office (PHO) tallied 44 new confirmed cases on Thursday afternoon.
Dr. Joy Gomez, head of Bulacan PHO, said there is a total 1,368 active cases -- 855 are symptomatic and 513 are asymptomatic.
On the other hand, there are 36 patients who have recovered from the dreaded disease, bringing the total recoveries to 1,510.
The number of deaths remained at 72. (PNA)
