From 750 samples per week, PGC limited to testing only 48 samples last week
(Eagle News) — The Department of Health said that the global shortage of reagents for genome sequencing has affected the country’s ability to do genome sequencing on COVID-19 samples in the country for testing on the UK variant B.1.1.7 and the South African variant of the COVID-19 virus, SARS-CoV2.
The DOH said that due to this deficiency, the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) was only able to sequence 48 samples for the fourth batch of sequencing. All samples tested were negative for the B.1.1.7 variant. Before this, the PGC can sequence up to 750 samples per week.
Of the 48 samples, 23 cases came from the National Capital Region which were mostly from Quezon City; 19 from CALABARZON with most cases from Laguna; 4 from the Cordillera Region; and 2 were returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs).
So far, seven of these cases had already been tagged as “recovered” while the rest are either mild cases or asymptomatic.
But since all of the samples for testing had not been sequenced yet, people should not be complacent, the health department said.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that they are just waiting for the release from the Bureau of Customs of the reagents that the DOH has ordered.
“We are fast-tracking the release of these reagents from Customs and hopefully we can start sequencing of 750 samples again,” she said.
Vergeire said that because of this, they will start procuring in advance six months’ worth of supplies, instead of just two months or three months’ worth of supplies.
“That’s what we are going to do right now, we have discussed this with Philippine Genome Center and UP NIH (UP National Institute of Health) that they we will be having advance procurement. Instead of just procuring 2 months’ worth of supply or 3 months’ worth of supply, we are now going to procure or to have this ordered for about six months,” she said.
This way, Vergeire said, “we can be assured that for the next six months we will have these reagents so we can proceed with the sequencing.”
-Limited reagents to test all samples-
The DOH so far has traced 410 close contacts of the traveler from the United Kingdom (UK) who had gone to his home town in Bontoc province last year. Of this number, 83 had tested positive for COVID-19, including the 12 that had tested positive for the UK-variant.
The UK traveler, however, was not positive for the UK variant, according to the DOH earlier.
The UK-variant positive from La Trinidad, Benguet, also had 37 close contacts, but only six tested positive for COVID-19.
The PGC is set to sequence another 48 samples this coming week, including samples from the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and other targeted areas, “while waiting for the kits and reagents for genomic sequencing,” the DOH said in a statement.
While no new cases have been detected, the DOH reiterated that the minimum public health standards remain the best precautionary measure against COVID-19 infection regardless of the variant.
“Thus, the public is urged to strictly adhere to these standards, specially when going to public places, by properly wearing face masks and face shields, maintaining a one-meter distance from other people, limiting the time of interaction to others, ensuring proper air circulation in any establishments or venues, and to regularly sanitize hands,” it added.
(With a report from Madelyn Villar Moratillo, Eagle News Service)