TESTING kits for coronavirus disease (Covid–19) are now utilized at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC).
BGHMC, one of the designated centers for Covid–19, started testing select patients for the virus on Thursday, March 19.
Doctor Amelita Pangilinan, DOH-Cordillera regional director confirmed the arrival of 100 pieces of Covid-19 test kits to be used on a case to case basis with priority given to those most vulnerable particularly the elderly, those with pre-existing medical conditions and those showing mild or severe symptoms, or are asymptomatic.
“This test kits will be used primarily for those who are vulnerable to the said virus with payments to be shouldered by PhilHealth. Those vulnerable are the senior citizens, those who have other health concerns like those with diabetes, those undergoing dialysis among others,” Pangilinan said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that eight in 10 or around 80 percent of infected patients worldwide experience “mild illness” and eventually recover from Covid-19. Some 14 percent experience severe illness while 5 percent are critically ill, WHO added.
Doctor Ricardo Runez, BGHMC Medical Center chief, reiterated the use of the test kits are for those vulnerable to the disease.
“We will be using this for those categorized as vulnerable to the corona virus. At present, it is only the BGHMC which have been identified as one of the sub-national hospitals to do the process of Covid-19 testing, all other hospitals who may conduct similar testing are not included in the hospitals identified by the DOH,” Runez said.
Baguio City currently has four private and two public hospitals operating.
The other public hospital in the Summer Capital is the Fort Del Pilar Medical Hospital located inside the Philippine Military Academy.
Other sub-national hospitals where for Covid-19 testing will be available are the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City and San Lazaro Hospital in Manila.
As of this writing, Cordillera still has one positive Covid–19 case with 61 persons under investigation (PUI) with 40 discharged and 21 admitted awaiting the test results.
Baguio City have nine PUIs, Benguet with seven, Kalinga with two, Abra, Apayao and Mountain Province have one each.
On the national level, some 217 cases were already reported according to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) with 17 deaths.
Pangilinan once again reiterated that to prevent infection, authorities are urging people to practice regular hand washing, cover the mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and avoid close contact with those who show respiratory symptoms.