3 quarantine facilities start accepting COVID-19 patients

MANILA, Philippines — Three more buildings that were turned to quarantine facilities for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients started accepting patients on Wednesday.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Wednesday said that these facilities are the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) and World Trade Center (WTC) in Pasay City, and the ASEAN Convention Center in Pampanga.

The PICC has 294 beds, while the ASEAN Convention Center can accommodate up to 150 patients. Meanwhile, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who returned to the country could be accommodated at WTC, which has 502 beds.

Vergeire also said that the opening of the quarantine facility in the New Clark City Government Admin Center was delayed to make way for more safety measures and inspection.

“Hindi natuloy ang pagbubukas nito upang bigyang daan ang ilan pang safety measures at inspeksyon na ating isasagawa upang mas masiguro ang kaligtasan ng ating mga pasyente at mga health care workers sa lugar,” the Health official said in a virtual press briefing.

(The opening was scrapped to make way for additional safety measures and inspection to ensure the safety and security of the patients and healthcare workers.)

The Philippine government has been converting state-owned buildings and sports buildings into quarantine facilities that will house suspected, probable, and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients.

This includes the Philippine International Convention Center, World Trade Center, and the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, which will be turned into quarantine hubs as hospitals and health care centers struggle to house more COVID-19 patients.

The Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan, will also be turned into a “mega-quarantine facility” for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.