Muntinlupa eyes own COVID-19 testing center

The Muntinlupa City Council passed a resolution for the purchase of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines and test kits for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as the city recorded its first death from the virus.

According to Majority Floor Leader Raul Corro, the PCR machines and testing kits will be used by the city-run Ospital ng Muntinlupa, subject to the approval of the Department of Health (DOH). The hospital will be the testing center for the disease.

The city government said the first COVID-19 death in the city came from Barangay Ayala Alabang, which covers the posh Ayala Alabang Village.

As of March 24, there are eight confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city. There are three confirmed cases in Bgy. Ayala Alabang, including the patient who died from the disease, followed by two in Cupang and one each in Tunasan, Bayanan, and Sucat. There are also 146 persons under monitoring and 72 persons under investigation.

“The statistical data shows that a more aggressive medical intervention is needed to effectively segregate, for quarantine purposes, the virus-stricken constituents of Muntinlupa City,” the resolution states.

The resolution authorizes Mayor Jaime Fresnedi to purchase the PCR machines and test kits, which are “critical in the determination of the medical assistance which must be administered to the patients.”

According to the DOH, there are five medical facilities which are capable of doing PCR testing: Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Alabang, Muntinlupa; San Lazaro Hospital in Manila; Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center in Baguio City; Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City; and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.