DOH warns Bicol hospitals vs turning away nCoV patients

LEGAZPI CITY—The regional office of the Department of Health (DOH) on Friday (Jan. 31) directed public and private hospitals in Bicol not to refuse admission to patients with suspected novel coronavirus (nCoV).

Ernie Vera, DOH Bicol director, said the DOH had directed all hospitals in the region’s six provinces not to turn away people showing signs of nCoV.

At a press conference in this city, Vera warned that any hospital found violating the directive faced stiff sanctions. He did not list down the sanctions.

He said a task force would be formed and composed of representativfes from the DOH, Department of Transportation, Department of Interior and Local Government and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) to focus on measures needed to prevent a spread of nCoV.

One of the task force’s mission would be to deploy personnel to airports, ports, terminals and malls where people converge.

The group would also be in charge of monitoring the arrival of people from other regions.

Vera said he would coordinate with the OCD to “draw up a worst-case scenario” to prepare for a public health emergency in the region.

He said authorities in Bicol were also setting up a quarantine facility for people who would be positive of nCoV.

Edited by TSB