The number of coronavirus tests conducted in the country has increased in the recent weeks, testing czar Vince Dizon said Thursday, April 22.
In a televised press briefing, Dizon reported that coronavirus tests conducted from February 17 to 23 averaged at 34,923.
“Mapapansin natin nung buwan ng Pebrero, bago mag surge, nakaka-average po tayo ng mahigit 30,000 per day (We can notice that in February, before the surge, we averaged more than 30,000 per day),” he said.
The report also showed that there was a significant increase in the average number of tests conducted between March 3 to 19 and March 17 to 23.
From an average of 38,916 tests from March 3 to 19, the number of tests rose to an average of 52,930 tests on March 17 to 23.
Dizon reported that the number of coronavirus tests conducted from April 7 to 13 averaged at 55,798.
But it slightly dropped to an averaged of 53,610 from April 14 to 20.
“Talagang pinipilit po nating pataasin ng pataasin ang ating tests na ginagawa (We are really trying to further increase our testing),” he said.
The number of tests also peaked at 66,623 in the previous week.
“Nakita po natin mula an average of about 30,000 plus, ngayon po ang average na po natin ay lampas 55,000, at nag pi-peak na po tayo ng above 60,000 per day (We have seen that from an average of about 30,000 plus, now our average is over 55,000, and we have peaked above 60,000 per day),” Dizon said.
Meanwhile, the testing chief said around 200,000 antigen tests kits were deployed to Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
He added that they are waiting for an update from the Department of Health (DOH) when the results from the antigen tests will be added in the daily tally of cases.