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Lack of genome sequencing kits slows down identification of PH COVID-19 samples

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Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/06/17/delta.jpg"/><figcaption>Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (gray) heavily infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (red), isolated from a patient sample. Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. <em>Photo by NIAID</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Identification of COVID-19 variants in the Philippines has slowed down in the past weeks due to &quot;logistical issues&quot;, the Department of Health said Friday.</p><p>For about 2 weeks, the DOH did not report how many individuals were carriers of foreign COVID-19 variants in the Philippines due to the lack of genome sequencing kits, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an online press conference.</p><p>&quot;Baka by this coming week, baka dumating na &#x27;yung ating supplies... Nagkaroon lang po tayo ng logistical issue,&quot; she said.</p><p>(Maybe supplies will arrive this coming week... We just encountered some logistical issues.)</p><p>&quot;Until the end of the year na &#x27;yan [supply] so we do not see na magkakaroon tayo ng issues by the end of the year,&quot; she said.</p><p>(These supplies will last until the end of the year so we do not see that we will have issues by the end of the year.)</p><p>Most of the genome sequencing kits will be deployed to &quot;clogged areas&quot; where COVID-19 cases remain high, the Undersecretary said.</p><p>&quot;There are these areas na talagang ina-identify namin na we should be able to get specimen,&quot; she said.</p><p>(We have identified areas where we really should get specimens.)</p><p>The national government earlier allocated P362 million to boost the country&#x27;s COVID-19 genome sequencing efforts, which determine if a COVID-19 patient is infected with a more contagious strain of the virus.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/02/04/21/government-allocates-p362-million-for-covid-19-genome-sequencing">Government allocates P362 million for COVID-19 genome sequencing</a></li></ul><p>In May, the DOH said the Philippines&#x27; genome testing capacity is still limited despite the presence of various and more transmissible COVID-19 variants, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Saturday. </p><p>The DOH only runs an average of 750 samples per week to detect the presence of virus variants, Vergeire said in an earlier interview.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/08/21/ph-genome-capacity-limited-covid19-variants">PH genome testing capacity still limited amid presence of COVID-19 variants- DOH</a></li></ul><p>Health officials have yet to determine if the recent spike of COVID-19 cases in Visayas and Mindanao were driven by the presence of foreign variants.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1708975" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>For about 2 weeks, the DOH did not report how many individuals were carriers of foreign COVID-19 variants in the Philippines due to the lack of genome sequencing kits.</p>

For about 2 weeks, the DOH did not report how many individuals were carriers of foreign COVID-19 variants in the Philippines due to the lack of genome sequencing kits.

Lack of genome sequencing kits slows down identification of PH COVID-19 samples

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Lack of genome sequencing kits slows down identification of PH COVID-19 samples

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 18, 2021 01:46 PM PHT

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COVID-19

coronavirus

genome sequencing

DOH

COVID-19 variants

health

Department of Health

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