The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has poured in P9.7 million to fund the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine’s (RITM) study on the transmission patterns of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in confirmed cases to help prevent its further spread, and support the Department of Health (DOH) in developing guidelines for the containment and prevention of the viral illness.
The DOST said it has provided P9.7 million for the study, titled “Clinical Characteristics and Transmission Patterns of COVID-19 in Confirmed Cases and their Contacts in the Philippines”. The project was led by Dr. Mayan Lumandas in partnership with the Ospital ng Muntinlupa in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
“To uncover the symptoms related to COVID-19, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has funded a study to help the country’s health agency in identifying the most common symptoms that should be watched out for in monitoring COVID-19 patients,” it said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.
"This study gave crucial inputs to the Department of Health (DOH) in developing the guidelines for case isolation, contact tracing, and disease control and prevention of the highly infectious disease that collapsed the healthcare systems of almost all countries," it added.
The RITM study is included in the agency’s list of 21 high impact technologies and game-changing research and development (R&D) projects which will be unveiled on Sept. 7.
The DOST-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) gave funding support to the project aimed at boosting the country’s fight against COVID-19 through monitoring and management of the coronavirus infections.