Members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) on Thursday inspected the 650-bed mega quarantine facility being established in Calamba, Laguna.
Out of the total capacity, 553 will be dedicated for mild and asymptomatic patients while 97 will be for healthcare workers. It is being eyed to open next month. In line with the building of more isolation facilities, National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. reiterated that the government is not recommending home quarantine.
“Hindi po kasi namo-monitor nang maayos ang mga positive cases at hindi natin namo-monitor baka biglang lumala ‘yung sitwasyon. Mahirap na ‘pag pumunta ng opistal na malala na (Positive cases are not properly monitored and the situation may worsen. It will be hard to go to hospital once it gets severe),” Galvez stated.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) earlier reported its target to build more than 20 isolation centers in Metro Manila and its neighboring regions. The hiring of health workers, particularly nurses and doctors, is also ongoing.
However, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said only a few are applying due to the concerns on the threat of COVID-19 to their health.
Meanwhile, the DOH reported that the recovery rate of the country has increased and is now at 70 percent.
“Noong lumipat tayo from test-based to time-based reckoning recovery ay patuloy na tumataas at nailalapit na natin doon sa tinatawag nating theoretical recovery rate (When we shifted from test-based to time-based reckoning recovery, it continued to rise and is nearing the so-called theoretical recovery rate),” Duque elucidated.
– Report from Bea Bernardo ##