Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC), a tertiary government hospital under the Department of Health, is now ready to accept coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) specimens, an official said on Tuesday.
“We are happy to announce that WVMC is now ready to accept specimens for examinations; before we used to send to Manila and Cebu,” DOH Center for Health Development Western Visayas (CHD 6) regional director Marlyn Convocar told a press conference here.
The hospital immediately started to examine specimens on Tuesday.
“We should be thankful that Western Visayas has the capability to examine for us to know the real positivity status of Western Visayas,” she added.
With the availability of test kits, she said they will adhere to the DOH Decision Tool to test patients under investigation (PUIs) with severe symptoms, elderly and non-elderly with co-morbidity (other diseases).
“WVMC is the only sub-national reference laboratory (in Western Visayas) for now. It will cater to all the specimens of Region 6,” she said.
As of Monday, Western Visayas already recorded 38, 893 persons under monitoring (PUMs) and 211 PUIs. Out of the total number of PUIs, 79 are admitted, 63 are outpatient, 64 have been discharged and five have died.
The DOH said there are two other Covid-19 positive cases – a 61-year-old female patient from Iloilo City and a 45-year-old from Jamindan, Capiz.
The new cases brought to four the number of positive patients in Western Visayas. The first two were from Bacolod City and Guimbal, Iloilo.
Dr. Jane Juanico, infectious disease section head of DOH-CHD 6, said they have yet to receive the results of the specimens of the five PUIs who died.
She said the five who were labeled as PUIs sought consultation in health facilities when they were already on severe condition and mostly are compromised elderly.
“Since there is a high index of suspicion and high probability of Covid-19 patients, we follow the proper protocol for the burial of Covid-19 patient,” Juanico said.
Meanwhile, apart from being a sub-national laboratory for Covid-19, the WVMC has been identified as the Covid-19 referral hospital for severe patients.
Those exhibiting mild symptoms will be referred to Western Visayas Sanitarium or provincial hospital of provinces where the patients came from.
“We will free the WVMC from non-Covid-19 patients and will be brought to West Visayas State University Medical Center (WVSUMC),” she added.
The hospital has 150 non-Covid-19 patients that will be transferred to the WVSUMC. (By Perla Lena, PNA)
