Coronavirus testing facilities appear to be swamped as demand for the screenings surge amid the latest outbreak and the government appointed more private hospitals and laboratories to cater to the demand. The two private laboratories – Chan & Hou Medical Laboritories and E-group – also said they are full and will only test patients referred by private doctors. Pressure is also mounting tremendously for the Department of Health’s testing facilities. Authorities had set up sample collection centers to enable high-risk individuals, like taxi drivers, to give specimen for Covid tests. The government has said it will provide free tests for around 400,000 high-risk people, covering taxi drivers, staff at restaurants, elderly care homes and property management firms.

Source: The Standard July 20, 2020 08:03 UTC