Naga City to set up own Modular RT-PCR Laboratory.
Photo Credit: Naga City Government
The local government of Naga City has allocated a P14.1-million budget to set up its own Modular Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) laboratory to expedite the testing of swab samples as the number of cases of COVID-19 continues to rise.
Naga City Mayor Nelson Legacion said the amount, which will be used to purchase laboratory equipment and supplies, represents the budget reverted from the Naga River Rehabilitation Development Fund.
Legacion said the laboratory will be manned by at least four medical technologists.
At present, samples have to be brought to the Bicol Regional Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory (BRDRL) in Legazpi City or to COVID-19 laboratories outside the Bicol Region.
Legacion said it takes too long for the lab results to come out under this setup.
Bicol Region now has a total of 1,509 total confirmed positive COVID-19 cases, with 34 new cases recorded on Sunday.
Of the total, 570 cases are active while 51 have died.
Naga City is currently under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), but the city government has asked the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Diseases to place the city back to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) for the duration of the Our Lady of Peñfrancia Fiesta, which runs from September 8 to 24.
The city government made the request in anticipation of the influx of pilgrims and devotees.
Naga City Mayor Nelson Legacion said the amount, which will be used to purchase laboratory equipment and supplies, represents the budget reverted from the Naga River Rehabilitation Development Fund.
Legacion said the laboratory will be manned by at least four medical technologists.
At present, samples have to be brought to the Bicol Regional Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory (BRDRL) in Legazpi City or to COVID-19 laboratories outside the Bicol Region.
Legacion said it takes too long for the lab results to come out under this setup.
Bicol Region now has a total of 1,509 total confirmed positive COVID-19 cases, with 34 new cases recorded on Sunday.
Of the total, 570 cases are active while 51 have died.
Naga City is currently under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), but the city government has asked the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Diseases to place the city back to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) for the duration of the Our Lady of Peñfrancia Fiesta, which runs from September 8 to 24.
The city government made the request in anticipation of the influx of pilgrims and devotees.