Nograles: New Clark City buildings converted to 1,000-bed COVID-19 hospital

MANILA, Philippines – Government buildings at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac have been transformed into a 1,000-bed hospital to house coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients as well as individuals suspected to have contracted the disease.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, spokesperson of the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, made the announcement in a virtual press conference on Monday.

“Last week po, may mga inatasan ang IATF na i-identify ang mga pasilidad na gagamitin bilang quarantine para pang-isolate ng mga PUM (persons under monitoring), PUI (persons under investigation), o mga kababayan natin na may COVID-19. Isa sa mga lugar na tinukoy ay ang New Clark City,” Nograles said.

(Last week, the IATF designated officials to identify facilities that can be used as quarantine or as isolation facilities for PUMs, PUIs and COVID-19 patients. One of them is the New Clark City).

“We would like to report that government buildings in New Clark City have already been refurbished and have been converted into a 1,000-bed hospital,” he added.

Nograles said the country’s COVID-19 chief implementor, Secretary Carlito Galvez, also reported that the Rizal Stadium—which will have a capacity for 200 beds—will be ready for use this week.

The World Trade Center, once completed, will also able to house 500 beds and also have living quarters for health workers, Nograles added.

The IATF spokesman further said that local government units  “have also stepped up efforts to provide quarantine areas in their respective localities.”

The enhanced community quarantine imposed on the entire Luzon in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19 has entered its fourth week on Monday.

As of Sunday, the Department of Health has so far  confirmed 3,246 COVID-19 cases in the Philippines.

One hundred fifty two COVID-19 patients have died, while 64 others have recovered.

GSG