The Department of Health (DOH) recorded 156 new cases of coronavirus infections, bringing the country’s total to 8,928 as of Saturday, May 2.
The agency also said 24 more people had died from the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the respiratory infection caused by the novel coronavirus. The death toll as of 4 p.m. Saturday rose to 603.
Forty more people recovered, bringing the total number of survivors to 1,124.
DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the Philippine Red Cross testing laboratory started its full-scale operation on Saturday.
“Bagamat hindi pa tayo pumapalo sa 8,000 per day testing output, ikinagagalak po naming ibalita ang pagsisimula ng full-scale operation ng laboratoryo ng Philippine Red Cross,” Vergeire said.
“Inaantabayanan din po natin ang delivery ng kagamitan sa Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital by May 10, na kapag dumating ay makadadagdag ng 3,000 tests kada araw sa ating daily testing capacity,” she added.
Vergeire also reported that the Marikina Molecular Diagnostic Library has been added to the country’s list of certified laboratories for Covid-19.
“Amin pong ibinabalita na kahapon ay nalagpasan na ng Marikina Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory ang Stage 4 Proficiency Testing at ngayon ay certified na at maaari nang magsagawa ng mga tests sa kanilang laboratoryo,” she said. (Jove T. Moya/SunStar Philippines)