New infections scale down RITM operation

In April, RITM likewise downsized its operations after 40 of its staff also tested positive for the virus

The Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) has again scaled down its operations following new infections to many of its frontliners battling COVID-19.

Cases of new coronavirus respiratory disease also continue to increase in the country.

The Department of Health (DoH) on Wednesday disclosed that it has been monitoring the country’s central and initial COVID-19 testing facility since last week following the increase in testing backlogs.

“First, some staff in RITM had to quarantine

after reporting a positive case of COVID-19. So, they had to do contact tracing and some of the employees working in the laboratory also had to undergo quarantine,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario

Vergeire said.

There was no disclosure on the number of health workers who have contracted the disease.

Vergeire also said that there has been a spike in the submission of tests for validation caused by the recent surge of cases.

Some machines have also been damaged and cannot be used until repaired.

To assist with the situation, she said testing backlogs were transferred to other laboratories such as the Philippine

Red Cross as part of the implemented zoning system.

Some staff in RITM had to quarantine after reporting a positive case of COVID-19. So, they had to do contact tracing and some of the employees working in the laboratory also had to undergo quarantine.

In April, RITM likewise downsized its operations after 40 of its staff also tested positive for the virus.

Vergeire said that although its operations slowed down, the laboratory will still continue to accept more in-patient samples for processing.

“When we scale down it doesn’t totally mean that they will not do anything. They said that they will continue to accept processing for in-patients or those that are confined in different hospitals among LGU,” she said

At present, the latest DoH bulletin showed that the testing backlogs have increased to over 13,000 since Monday out of its operating laboratories.

PHOTOGRAPH BY RIO LEONELLE I. DELUVIO FOR THE DAILY TRIBUNE @tribunephl_rio SEVERAL kids take advantage of the nice weather to go cliff diving at the Mabua Beach in Surigao City.