Philippine News Agency
Low testing rate in NCR due to decrease in new cases: DOH exec
The Department of Health (DOH) reported a decrease in COVID-19 testing output in Metro Manila while noting an increase in the Visayas and Mindanao.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire stated that Metro Manila's weekly COVID-19 tests fell to 189,000 from 232,000.
This decline in the National Capital Region (NCR) might be due to a reduction in COVID-19 cases and the utilization of antigen testing kits.
Antigen testing kits were distributed to Metro Manila and adjacent areas in April amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, potentially impacting overall testing output.
Conversely, the Visayas region saw an increase in average weekly COVID-19 tests, rising to 50,000 from 46,000.
Mindanao also experienced a significant rise in its weekly testing output, climbing to 42,000 from 29,000.
Vergeire observed that testing outputs are increasing in areas currently affected by a rise in cases, while NCR shows a slight decrease.
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