The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa conducts preliminary tests on suspected cases to determine if they are infected with a coronavirus but cannot detect the new strain on patients.[265] Samples from suspected cases with confirmed coronavirus infection had to be sent abroad to the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory in Australia for confirmatory testing specifically for the 2019-nCov strain.[266]In response to the outbreak following a cleared suspected case, the RITM began the process of acquiring primers and reagents in order to conduct confirmatory tests in the country.[260] On 29 January, it was announced that the RITM has acquired confirmatory kits to be able to test cases in the country.