UP-National Institutes of Health develops test kit for 2019- Novel Coronavirus

The Philippines is not sitting down with respect to the  2019- Novel Coronavirus Acute Respiratory Disease (2019-nCoV ARD), with meager resources and budget and all we still have the best mind in the field of science and research.

The University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health is being busy developing he country’s own test kit for the corona virus which originated in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China.

According to Dr. Raul Destura, director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Filipino scientist developed the test kits 2 weeks ago, after the World Health Organization released the whole genome sequence of the virus.

(photo credit to owner)

"The limiting factor was bringing in the raw materials in the country. We’re doing the protocol for strict manufacturing process. Hopefully by next week it will be ready for DOH (Department of Health) to verify and validate," he told senators.

The Department of Health (DOH) was previously sending specimens of persons suspected of carrying the new virus strain to the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory in Australia for confirmation

Then, last week (January 29) Japan sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa RNA primers which helps identify the specific strain of virus.

"The rapid diagnostic test has to undergo assessment by the experts and I defer to the WHO to guide us," he told senators.

According to WHO representative to the Philippines Rabindra Abeyasinghe, said its assessments of the test kits would be completed in 7 to 10 days.

"The WHO is working with several research groups both inside and outside China on the rapid diagnostic test kits," WHO representative to the Philippines Rabindra Abeyasinghe said.

"The assessments of the test kits will not be completed for about another week to 10 days, after which we have agreed we will provide test kits to Philippines and other countries."

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Report from  ABS-CBN News

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