Bohol’s 2 RT PCR labs 

suspend operations 

CORTES, Bohol, Oct 23 (PIA) – Bohol health authorities announce the temporary suspension of the operation of its two Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) machines, not because these are broken, but for other reasons. 

In an aired announcement in his daily presser, Bohol Inter Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (BIATF) spokesperson Dr. Cesar Tomas Lopez reechoed what Dr. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital Chief Dr. Mutya Kismet Macuno’s said as she earlier shared about the RT PCR molecular laboratory at the hospital. 

According to Dr. Lopez, Gallares has to temporarily suspend the operation of their RT PCR molecular laboratory due to a direly needed preventive maintenance activity in the laboratory’s negative pressure room. 

Among the most important components of a molecular laboratory is the presence and proper operation of its negative pressure room which assures that the air inside the laboratory does not flow out unsterilized that it may contaminate and infect others nearby. 

That means the pressure in the isolation room is controlled such that it is much lesser than the air outside, so air inside does not flow out. 

In medical settings, a negative pressure room prevents the spread of infectious contaminants, especially for disease that travel through air. 

These special rooms are necessary to control disease causing viruses by making sure they stay contained rather than them flowing out and infecting others nearby. 

In laboratory settings especially with molecular laboratories that feature very sensitive PCR procedures and techniques, a build-up of aerosolized amplification products can contaminate the laboratory environments if air is allowed to flow out to other isolation rooms. 

Often referred as Airborne Infection Isolation Rooms (AIIR), negative pressure rooms make sure that laboratory personnel step out of the molecular laboratory without bringing along pathogens riding in the airflow they create. 

On the other hand, Dr Lopez also said in the case of the Bohol Containerized RT PCR laboratory, the absence of chemical reagents and the failure of the supply to arrive on time has forced laboratory authorities to temporarily suspend their operations. 

"We all know that we do not have daily flights to carry the supply reagents we bought from Korea, the reagents now in Manila, awaiting for the next flight that can take them to Bohol," he announced during the presser October 19. 

With the suspended operations of the two RT PCR laboratories in Bohol, swab samples from here are taken to nearby DOH accredited RT PCR laboratories in Cebu, he said. 

The suspension of the molecular laboratory operations also came at a time when Bohol reports lesser active corona virus disease, October 19. 

By then, Sierra Bullones records the highest case with 10 returning Overseas Filipino Workers, followed by 9 cases in Sagbayan comprised of 8 locally stranded individuals and a locally transmitted case. 

Third on most cases is Talibon with 8 locally transmitted cases, followed by Carmen 6 cases as 4 LSIs and 2 ROFWs. 

As of Oct 20, both Loon and Antequera each had 4 cases: 2 LSI and 2 ROFWs while the latter has a case from an ROFW and 4 from returning LSIs. 

By October 21 however, San Miguel, which used to have a single case remaining, and Bien Unido which has 2 cases have reportedly cleared their cases. 

BIATF has not updated its daily COVID tracking charts by Oct 21, possibly an effect of the suspended laboratory operations when tests are not made available daily. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol) 

WHILE OPERATIONS ARE SUSPENDED. Capitol employees plan out a connecting passage from the containerized RT PCR laboratory to BMCI to facilitate safe passage of laboratory workers while operations at the facility is temporarily suspended due to lack of chemical reagents, October 23. 

(rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol) 

BREAKING THE BAD NEWS. At a time when Bohol is apparently edging to small victories with its efficient testing of exposed persons, two of the island based molecular laboratories have to stop its operations for some reasons, bared Dr Cesar Tomas Lopez Tuesday afternoon. (PIABohol capture from Bohol TV)