BY NEXT week, a laboratory in Cebu will not only conduct initial testing but also sub-typing of possible Influenza A (H1N1) virus carriers, said health officials yesterday.

The PCR (polymerase chain reaction) lab of the Armed Forces Research Institute for Medical Science (Afrims), located in the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), is expected to get its primer soon from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

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The primer—a reagent that will be used in lab tests to determine the type of flu a sample contains—will be given by RITM Director Dr. Remigio Olveda, on orders from Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

Madarieta expects the primer to reach Cebu next week.

Only 1 lab

The PCR lab handles initial testing of swab samples collected from suspected A (H1N1) carriers in Central Visayas, but will soon include sub-typing, said Dr. Susana Madarieta, Department of Health (DOH) 7 director.

With the primer, the Afrims lab, which normally sends initial samples to RITM in Muntinlupa City for sub-typing, can now determine from samples if a person has Influenza A (H1N1) or only the seasonal flu.

Madarieta said this adds convenience to them and to possible A (H1N1) cases that would have to continue a 10-day quarantine period until results from Manila are released.

“With the sub-typing capability of the PCR lab, results from cases under observation are immediately released, with no more referrals of pending samples to Manila,” said Madarieta.

However, results will still be forwarded to RITM for validation, added Madarieta.

Madarieta reiterated that though some hospitals have their own PCR labs, the Afrims lab is the only lab in the region that can handle testing for Influenza A(H1N1).

Also, Madarieta said that Renan Cimafranca, chief of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) 7, has collected swab samples from affected students from Paref Springdale in Talamban, Cebu City.

Madarieta said the school was willing to cooperate with the health department.

As of now, Region 7 has had 38 confirmed cases since May, with the last confirmed cases recorded last week.

Also, there are now 210 cases under observation, with 30 cases still awaiting the release of their test results.