ILOILO CITY—The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has opened its molecular laboratory that will test specimens for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Passi City, Iloilo province.
Senator and PRC Chairman Richard Gordon led the inauguration of the COVID-19 molecular laboratory which is located at the PRC Regional Logistics and Disaster Management Training Center.
Gordon said the PRC COVID-19 laboratory can test at least 1,000 swab specimens for the reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), which is the gold standard of COVID-19 testing. Gordon noted that its laboratory has the capacity to get results within 24-hours.
The PRC-COVID-19 laboratory is an additional COVID-19 laboratory in Iloilo province. The Iloilo provincial government also has its COVID-19 laboratory at its government-run hospital.
Joining Gordon at the inauguration Wednesday were Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., Passi City Mayor Stephen Palmares, and Vice Mayor Jesry Palamares.
Aside from Iloilo, the PRC COVID-19 laboratory can accept COVID-19 specimens from the other provinces of Panay Island including Aklan, Antique, and Capiz.