PNP to open COVID testing center today

The Philippine National Police (PNP) will open today its own testing center for the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 after getting approval from the Department of Health.

PNP chief Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa said the Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RTPCR) testing center at Camp Crame in Quezon City would be exclusive for police officers and their dependents.

“We can process as much as 150 tests per day,” Gamboa said in an interview on ANC.

The PNP will livestream on its official Facebook page the launching of the testing laboratory.

The PNP has recorded 263 cases of COVID-19 with four deaths. Of the figure, 102 have recovered from the disease. The rest are still undergoing treatment.

At least 1,350 police officers are under strict monitoring for showing symptoms of the virus.

Around 67,000 policemen are among the government’s frontline personnel in efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The PNP said it is planning to put up two more COVID-19 testing centers in the Visayas and Mindanao.

MICHAEL VARCAS Local officials put up barriers in Barangay 12, Caloocan yesterday, which was placed under lockdown until the end of the month.