QC to open molecular lab for COVID-19 tests by August end

Quezon City is set to open its own molecular laboratory by the end of August, pending final approval from the Department of Health (DOH).

The laboratory, located in Barangay Teachers Village East and retrofitted using donations from Megaworld Corporation, will be equipped to process 500 COVID-19 tests daily with a two-day turnaround.

A 20-person staff from the City Health Department will undergo specialized training at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) and will have dedicated spaces for data encoding and sleeping quarters within the facility.

Mayor Joy Belmonte also highlighted that the city will be opening new quarantine facilities in various barangays, including one at the Quezon City University made from 16 recycled container vans.

Beyond COVID-19, the molecular laboratory will also be capable of testing for other diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV, and dengue.