MANILA, Philippines— Test kits for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) which were developed by local scientists at the University of the Philippines (UP) have been approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA, in a statement Tuesday, said it has issued a certificate of exemption for the test kits developed by the University of the Philippines National Institute of Health (UP­NIH) which was funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). President Rodrigo Duterte has declared a public health emergency over the threat of COVID-19. The DOH had earlier raised Code Red Sublevel 1 after it confirmed the country’s first local transmission of COVID-19. FDA Director General Rolando Enrique Domingo said the test kits will help monitor the growing number of patients suspected of having contracted COVID-19.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer March 10, 2020 02:37 UTC