DOH: PH surveillance of new COVID-19 variants hampered by global reagent shortage

The Department of Health (DOH) reported on Monday that a global shortage of reagents needed for genome sequencing has impacted the Philippines' surveillance of new COVID-19 variants.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire stated that due to a lack of reagents, the Philippine Genome Center's operations were halted, with only 48 samples processed per batch using smaller machines.

On Saturday, the DOH announced that all 48 samples from the fourth batch of genome sequencing tested negative for new variants, but noted that reagent supplies are running low.