Rappler
DOH accredits Marikina coronavirus testing facility – Mayor Teodoro
The Department of Health (DOH) has accredited Marikina City's molecular diagnostic laboratory, located in Barangay Concepcion Uno.
The Marikina COVID-19 Testing Center, equipped with PCR machines, can process 200 samples daily and will prioritize testing suspected cases, and individuals with a history of travel or exposure.
DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III confirmed the accreditation, which was delayed by over a month and came two weeks after Mayor Marcelino Teodoro threatened to open the facility without the DOH's approval.
The facility's personnel still had to undergo biosafety training conducted by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) after mid-April.
The city government has also signed an MOA with Manila Health Tek, Inc. for an additional 3,000 COVID-19 test kits developed by UP-NIH and approved by the FDA.
Marikina aims to meet the World Health Organization's recommended 1:10 ratio of positive tests to total tests.
As of Thursday afternoon, Marikina reported 109 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 22 recoveries and 18 deaths.
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