DOH reports drop in RT-PCR tests in 14 regions

The Department of Health (DOH) reported a decrease in reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests for COVID-19 in 14 regions compared to the previous week.

The National Capital Region (NCR) saw the largest decline, with daily tests dropping from 266,042 to 37,383 and positive cases decreasing from 48,229 to 35,603.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire noted that six local governments in NCR reported a general decrease in case trends over the past two weeks.

Vergeire stated that the DOH is still assessing whether this decline reflects a true reduction in cases or if it is influenced by factors such as active case finding, contact tracing, and the use of rapid antigen tests.