Use it to determine if you’re infected with the virus within 20 minutes.
The Philippines is seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases as the days go on. The country has yet to move on from one virus, but it’s already facing challenges from another. Which one, you ask? The virus that causes dengue fever.
Per the Department of Health (DOH), dengue cases from January to June 2022 are up 90% from the previous year. DOH also recorded 274 deaths until June.
News worldwide is getting bleaker with outbreaks of the Marburg virus and monkeypox. Several COVID variants continue to plague many countries. The simultaneous spread of several deadly viruses leaves us with one question. How can we stop this?
Understanding the spread of viruses
LABx CEO Tom Navasero talked to CNN’s Rico Hizon about the spread of viruses around the world. “That’s the nature of viruses. They will keep mutating, and we will never eradicate them. We can protect ourselves by testing, vaccination, social distancing, and wearing masks. We just have to live with them,” he said.
Filipinos can do their best to protect themselves from dengue or COVID or some other virus. But it’s also important to help prevent its spread.
How early detection kits help with prevention
DOH points to increased mobility as the reason for the increase in dengue cases. It’s a similar scenario for COVID. We don’t know if the person we’re sitting next to on the bus has an infection. We can’t rely too much on contact tracing either.
It’s possible to stop the spread of the virus through testing. It’s best to undergo tests as soon as we feel any symptoms. By doing so, we can prevent interactions that can lead to viral transmissions.
LABx dengue antigen test kit is now available
Like COVID antigen test kits, there’s an early detection kit available for dengue.
Instead of a swab, LABx’s dengue test kit uses a lancet needle. You can find out if you’re infected with dengue within 10 to 20 minutes of testing. The test has 97% sensitivity and 100% specificity. This means that if you test positive on the antigen test, it’s 100% certain that you have dengue.
Each box is worth PHP350. It comes with three lancets, two test kits, and access to a teletesting nurse. LABx designed the dengue kits to have guidance from a nurse. This is to ensure that users can administer the test properly.
Protect yourself and your loved ones from dengue
Anyone can get dengue at any time. There’s no waiting for immunity to deteriorate like with a vaccine or past infection in six to nine months.
There’s no surefire way to eradicate the virus. But we can all do our part to prevent its spread by testing as early as possible at the onset of symptoms.
Featured Image Macky Arquilla
