Rapid antigen testing facility opens in Ilocos Norte
LAOAG CITY – The provincial government of Ilocos Norte has opened a rapid antigen testing facility in Barangay Pancian, Pagudpud town to ensure that those who enter the province are free from the coronavirus.
The antigen testing facility in Pagudpud town was the second in the province. The first antigen facility was opened in Badoc, Ilocos Norte.
On Tuesday, Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc inaugurated the second rapid antigen testing facility at the Pancian Hospital. The testing facility detects antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in human blood, serum or plasma samples.
“Ang mga machines na dumating ay ang Ichroma II flouresence Immunoassay antibody machine para doon sa ating antigen assay. Pareho sa mga machines natin sa Badoc Testing Facility. Nagamit natin agad-agad ang machine sa mga pumasok sa ating probinsiya noong opening mismo ng facility,” provincial quarantine facility consultant, Dr. Rina Corpuz told on Friday.
At least 100 persons have been tested at facility since it was opened, and, so far, no one has been found to be positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Ilocos Norte’s provincial government external affairs consultant Ryan Remigio was hopeful that the newly established facility would be able to address the province’s need for fast and efficient testing.
“Nagkaroon tayo ng testing facility para ma-cater natin ang mga residenteng pumapasok at lumalabas dito sa probinsiya. Ilocos Norte ang isa sa mga may machines na gagamitin for testing dito sa bansa so I am hopeful na makatutulong ang mga ito upang lalo pang maprotektahan ang Ilocos Norte,” said Remegio.
He also noted that Ilocos Norte was one of the few provinces that has been able to set up a COVID-19 RT-PCR laboratory at the onset of the pandemic, and the first to use the GeneXpert technology in detecting the disease
Meanwhile, more Ilokano medical technologists, nurses are undergoing training to improve province's testing capability
Medical technologists and nurses assigned in some local government units in Ilocos Norte underwent a capacity-building training on Thursday to scale-up the province's testing capacity as part of its COVID-19 response.
Held at the Provincial Capitol Auditorium, the training was a joint initiative of the Task Force Salun-at, through the leadership of Manotoc, and the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC).
Dr. Modesty A. Leaño, head of the Molecular Biology laboratory in MMMH&MC said the training sought to enable city and municipal health offices in conducting the proper procedure of collecting, packaging, and transporting COVID-19 specimen.
“The goal of the Task Force Salun-at and MMMH&MC is for all persons involved in contact tracing, the Locally Stranded Individuals, and the Returning Overseas Filipinos are subject to prompt, proper, and timely testing. Importante ang proper collection para mapadali ang pag-test sa laboratory. Kung hindi maganda ang collection, magkakaroon ng problema sa testing," Leaño explained.
Included in the training program was the thorough filling-out of the case investigation forms, the proper technique in swabbing to get valid samples, and the proper handling and transport of a specimen to a testing facility.
Moreover, Corpuz shared that the provincial government has set up specific isolation units for confirmed positive cases to further contain the transmission of the virus.
“Now, we have two isolation facilities for our confirmed cases. Our DPWH facility can house 22 patients while the Takuat Center can accommodate 36 patients for now. Hopefully, hindi natin malagyan ng mga pasyente ang mga ito.”
At present, MMMH&MC has ramped up its testing capacity by running an average of 250 samples per day to 350.
In a latest report, the number of COVID-19 cases in Ilocos Norte has climbed to 111, with 36 active cases, 74 recoveries, and one death.
The antigen testing facility in Pagudpud town was the second in the province. The first antigen facility was opened in Badoc, Ilocos Norte.
On Tuesday, Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc inaugurated the second rapid antigen testing facility at the Pancian Hospital. The testing facility detects antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in human blood, serum or plasma samples.
“Ang mga machines na dumating ay ang Ichroma II flouresence Immunoassay antibody machine para doon sa ating antigen assay. Pareho sa mga machines natin sa Badoc Testing Facility. Nagamit natin agad-agad ang machine sa mga pumasok sa ating probinsiya noong opening mismo ng facility,” provincial quarantine facility consultant, Dr. Rina Corpuz told on Friday.
At least 100 persons have been tested at facility since it was opened, and, so far, no one has been found to be positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Ilocos Norte’s provincial government external affairs consultant Ryan Remigio was hopeful that the newly established facility would be able to address the province’s need for fast and efficient testing.
“Nagkaroon tayo ng testing facility para ma-cater natin ang mga residenteng pumapasok at lumalabas dito sa probinsiya. Ilocos Norte ang isa sa mga may machines na gagamitin for testing dito sa bansa so I am hopeful na makatutulong ang mga ito upang lalo pang maprotektahan ang Ilocos Norte,” said Remegio.
He also noted that Ilocos Norte was one of the few provinces that has been able to set up a COVID-19 RT-PCR laboratory at the onset of the pandemic, and the first to use the GeneXpert technology in detecting the disease
Meanwhile, more Ilokano medical technologists, nurses are undergoing training to improve province's testing capability
Medical technologists and nurses assigned in some local government units in Ilocos Norte underwent a capacity-building training on Thursday to scale-up the province's testing capacity as part of its COVID-19 response.
Held at the Provincial Capitol Auditorium, the training was a joint initiative of the Task Force Salun-at, through the leadership of Manotoc, and the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC).
Dr. Modesty A. Leaño, head of the Molecular Biology laboratory in MMMH&MC said the training sought to enable city and municipal health offices in conducting the proper procedure of collecting, packaging, and transporting COVID-19 specimen.
“The goal of the Task Force Salun-at and MMMH&MC is for all persons involved in contact tracing, the Locally Stranded Individuals, and the Returning Overseas Filipinos are subject to prompt, proper, and timely testing. Importante ang proper collection para mapadali ang pag-test sa laboratory. Kung hindi maganda ang collection, magkakaroon ng problema sa testing," Leaño explained.
Included in the training program was the thorough filling-out of the case investigation forms, the proper technique in swabbing to get valid samples, and the proper handling and transport of a specimen to a testing facility.
Moreover, Corpuz shared that the provincial government has set up specific isolation units for confirmed positive cases to further contain the transmission of the virus.
“Now, we have two isolation facilities for our confirmed cases. Our DPWH facility can house 22 patients while the Takuat Center can accommodate 36 patients for now. Hopefully, hindi natin malagyan ng mga pasyente ang mga ito.”
At present, MMMH&MC has ramped up its testing capacity by running an average of 250 samples per day to 350.
In a latest report, the number of COVID-19 cases in Ilocos Norte has climbed to 111, with 36 active cases, 74 recoveries, and one death.