DOH eyeing Quezon Institute, PRC as partners in setting up quarantine sites

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) is studying the capacity of the Quezon Institute and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) to be its possible partners in setting up community quarantine facilities.

Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire said that once finalized, community quarantine sites will be used to house patients under investigation, persons under monitoring, and patients who initially tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) but have been discharged after recovering from the illness.

“Ang community quarantine facilities ay mga lugar kung saan maaari silang magmonitor nang hindi sila nahahalo sa mga severe cases (Community quarantine facilities are places where their health condition can be monitored without being mixed with patients of severe cases),” she said in a televised press briefing on Wednesday.

In a separate briefing on Tuesday, Vergeire said these quarantine sites will also house COVID-19 positive patients who have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic. She added that only those exhibiting severe symptoms or are high-risk will be admitted to DOH referral hospitals.

READ: DOH eyes ‘community quarantine facilities’ for COVID-19 cases with mild symptoms, asymptomatic

The health official likewise advised local government units to set up their own community quarantine sites to avoid congestion in health facilities.

The DOH is currently setting up three referral hospitals for COVID-19 patients: the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital in Manila, the Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center in Caloocan City and the Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City.

Vergeire said the UP-PGH may start functioning as a referral facility starting Friday.

As of 4.p.m. Wednesday, the country has already recorded 38 deaths—with three additional fatalities—as well as 636 confirmed cases. A total of 26 persons who tested positive for the virus have recovered.