Prior to January 30, there were no medical facilities in the country that can confirm cases of the virus.[17][18] Prior to that date, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa conducted preliminary tests on suspected cases to determine if they are infected with a coronavirus but could not detect the new strain on patients.[19] 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 SARS-CoV-2 strain.[20]