The Department of Health (DOH) revealed that some of the first coronavirus disease 2019 test kits received from China were only 40 percent accurate.
DOH Usec Maria Rosa Vergeire said these test kits has a low accuracy based on the standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Sa mga naunang pinadala samin na test kits from China, na nakapagpakita ng 40 percent accuracy, hindi po namin ito ginamit dahil nakita nga po na mababa po ang accuracy natin dito. Kaya ito na lang po ay atin itinago,” Vergeire said in a briefing.
However, the undersecretary assured the public that the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine conducted a parallel testing for both the Chinese and WHO test kits to ensure accurate results.
Test kits donated by other countries or groups have passed the WHO standards according to the health official.
“Makakasiguro po ang ating mga kababayan na atin pong vina-validate pa ho ang ating mga donasyon na test kits bago ito gamitin. Makikita po natin dito kung ano ang of-quality at kung ano naman po ang mababa ang kalidad at di dapat gamitin para sa ating mga kababayan,” she added.
The test kits were part of an 8 package from China which arrived last week. The package included 100,000 surgical masks and 10,000 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE).
The government of Spain previously revealed that the COVID-19 test kits provided by a Chinese firm were defective.
