By Nino Luces
LEGAZPI CITY, Albay - The Sangguniang Panglungsod (SP) of Legazpi City has approved an appropriation amounting to P10 million that will be used to ordinance to buy testing kits for the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Mayor Noel Rosal said the city government was already processing the purchase of the test kits that could test at least 500 patients every day.
"The target delivery date is before May 15. Yung request natin na pangbili ng testing machine at kits ay approved na. Para na din mass testing ito at least 500 per day na suspects. Pa operate pa din natin sa DOH 5 (Department of Health-Region 5), through a MOA (memorandum of agreement), kasi accredited na sila at trained na mga tao nila. Kung tayo pa kasi matatagalan pa. Makakatulong pa tayo sa ibang munisipyo at syudad na di kaya bumili," Rosal said.
Meanwhile, as of 8 p.m. on May 2, Legazpi City has recorded two new confirmed cases of COVID-19.
According to the latest COVID-19 tracker of the Department of Health (DOH) Bicol, a 53-year old male and a 32-year old Filipino female health worker, both from Legazpi, tested positive for COVID-19.
Both new cases were infected by previously tested patients.
Dr. Ernie Vera, DOH Bicol regional director said that Albay now has 37 confirmed COVID-19 cases after recording three new cases - three in Legazpi City and one in Daraga town, while Bicol has 46 cases.
Of the 37 cases in Albay, 18 were from Legazpi City.
Vera said, as of 8 p.m. on Saturday, there was no recorded recovery from Bicol.