Abad Santos hospital in Manila temporarily closes due to spike in COVID-19 admissions

The Justice Jose Abad Santos Hospital in Binondo, Manila. (INQUIRER.net file photo)

MANILA, Philippines — The Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital (JJASGH) in Binondo, Manila will be temporarily closed starting on New Year’s Day due to a spike in COVID-19 admissions.

“The number of COVID patients is more than the number of beds. So the hospital must first be closed so it can send home or transfer other admitted patients to quarantine facilities in collaboration with the Manila Health Department,” the hospital management said in an announcement posted on Saturday on the Facebook page of the Manila Public Information Office.

“Many of the staff of JJASGH have also been infected,” it added.

The hospital advised the public to opt for other public hospitals in Manila.

On the same day, the Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center in Tondo, Manila announced the temporary closure of its emergency due to the rise of COVID-19 cases among patients and staff.

Metro Manila is currently facing a surge in COVID-19 cases, prompting the national government to place it under a stricter Alert Level 3 in a bid to curb mobility and the further increase in infections.

Malacañang attributed this increase to increased mobility during the holiday season and the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

Earlier, the Department of Health recorded 3,617 new COVID-19 infections, the highest number registered since Oct. 10.

OCTA Research, meanwhile, has already classified Metro Manila as at high risk for COVID-19 transmission after its positivity rate and reproduction number spiked.

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