By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Testing for the coronavirus disease, or Covid-19, may soon be available in the Western Visayas after the Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City was chosen as the region’s testing center.
Department of Health-Western Visayas (DOH-6) Infectious Disease Cluster head, Dr. Jane Juanico, said they will be able to process the specimens collected from patients under investigation much quicker compared to shipping samples to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Metro Manila.
Juanico noted, two medical technologists have already been sent to the RITM in order to undergo training on how to use the equipment needed to test for Covid-19.
Once personnel complete their training, the regional testing center will immediately start processing the specimens.
The machine used for testing will be able to process 35 specimens a day, which is expected to reduce discharging time for patients under investigation who tested negative./DGB, WDJ