DOH to purchase additional machines to increase PH’s genome sequencing capacity
CNN Philippines – The Department of Health (DOH) is targeting to purchase additional machines as it seeks to boost the country’s genome sequencing efforts, according to a health official.
The Philippine Genome Center has proposed additional two machines as the genome testing capacity in the Philippines remains limited despite the presence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) variants, Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire said in a virtual briefing on Saturday.
Currently, the DOH can only run 750 samples per week, she added.
“Tayo po ngayon ay may move na para bumili ng additional na machines na ganito para mas madagdagan,” she said.
Earlier this week, the DOH said the Philippines logged 678 new cases of COVID-19 variants.
In a statement, the DOH reported 289 new cases of the B.1.17 variant first detected in the United Kingdom, 380 cases of the B.1.351 variant discovered in South Africa, and nine new cases of P.3 – the variant first detected in the Philippines that is still under investigation.
As of May 4, the country has 1,075 cases of the South Africa variant, 948 cases of the UK variant, 157 cases of the P.3 variant and two cases of the variant first found in Brazil.
