COVID-19 centers readied , says Sara

CITY government has readied centers that will cater to individuals with suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Mayor Sara Duterte, in an interview with Davao City Disaster Radion on Friday, said that they have been inspecting these these designated centers for persons under investigation (PUI) in the city.

On Wednesday, Dr. Annabelle Yumang, Department of Health (DOH) regional director said that the rehabilitation center in Malagos started its operations as a PUI center.

Duterte said the city government is readying to equip five places identified as the city’s quarantine centers for PUIs with mild symptoms. Aside from the

Malagos rehabilitation center, other buildings identified are La Vida Inn in Maa, Alternative Learning School (ALS) beside People’s Park, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) near Malagos Rehab Center, and the Queensland Hotel.

Queensland Hotel has offered 240 rooms to be utilized for PUIs.

The mayor added that an appliance store is also converting container vans into a facility to accommodate PUIs.

“It is better for these PUIs to stay in the centers, instead of in the hospitals where there are already positive cases. Hospitals are enclosed institutions where some virus maybe circulating around,” she said, adding that there are patients who insist in staying in hospitals.

She also said that these centers are getting support from the Southern Philippines Medical Center, the only hospital for PUIs with critical, moderate and severe symptoms, and for COVID-19 positive patients.

The mayor said Dabawenyos who exhibit mild symptoms of COVID-19 should go to PUI centers, instead of being admitted to hospitals.

As of now, Duterte said that two out of five PUI centers are ready to function, except that they these two centers still need more stuff for it to be functional.

She said La Vida already is prepared. She said the only thing that lacks are communication facilities.

She also said that ALS has prepared rooms and arranged its beds. Some things like pillow cases and bed sheets and some enhancement in the water system are needed. It has around 50 rooms that can cater these PUIs.

As of now, Duterte said that there are about 28 patients in Malagos rehab center as of the moment.

She also said she have already inspected some checkpoints in the city and found minimal problems that were eventually resolved.

She also assured the public that these facilities have been equipped with doctors and medicines ready to accommodate PUIs in the city.