Ponta Delgada Hospital Laboratory qualified for COVID-19 screening tests, announces Regional Secretary for Health
The Genetics and Molecular Pathology Unit Laboratory of the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital in Ponta Delgada, is, from today, qualified to conduct screening tests to COVID-19, announced the Regional Secretary for Health.
“Following the efforts we have been undertaken in recent weeks, it is already possible to conduct laboratory tests on suspected cases of infection with the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus on the island of São Miguel,” said Teresa Machado Luciano.
According to her, besides the investments in the improvement of facilities, we increased the number of human resources assigned to the Genetics and Molecular Pathology Unit, thus reinforcing the laboratory's installed capacity.
As with the procedures performed in the laboratory on the island of Terceira, the first five negative tests and the first five positive tests conducted by the laboratory on the island of São Miguel will have to be confirmed with second testing to be conducted by the Dr. Ricardo Jorge National Health Institute in Lisbon.
The Regional Health Service now has two laboratories of reference for COVID-19, namely the aforementioned laboratory in Ponta Delgada and the laboratory of the Specialised Service of Epidemiology and Molecular Biology of the Santo Espírito Hospital on the Island of Terceira.
This will “reinforce its promptness to prevent and contain the transmission of the novel coronavirus as well as to safeguard the safety of the population," said Teresa Machado Luciano.
The Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo has made the necessary improvements to qualify its laboratory for testing coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19 disease, following the recommendations issued by the Dr. Ricardo Jorge National Health Institute in early March.