By Minka Klaudia Tiangco
The Manila City government opened three additional quarantine facilities for the city's probable and suspect coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients after the general community quarantine (GCQ) was implemented.
Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko" Moreno Domagoso led the opening of the quarantine facilities at P. Gomez Elementary School in Sta. Cruz and at San Andres Sports Complex on Wednesday (June 3).
The isolation facility at P. Gomez Elementary School can cater to 41 patients, while the one at San Andres Sports Complex has a 60-bed capacity.
On Monday, the city government launched an isolation facility at Dapitan Sports Complex that can hold 42 patients.
So far, the city government has opened eight quarantine facilities at Delpan Evacuation Center, Araullo High School, Tondo High School, and T. Paez High School.
All of the isolation facilities that have been built have a combined capacity of over 300 beds.
Domagoso earlier said they are aiming to provide up to 500 beds for the city's suspect and probable COVID-19 patients. He said they are expecting a surge in patients with the easing of community quarantine guidelines.
Meanwhile, Sta. Ana Hospital, the sole district hospital in Manila assigned to handle COVID-19 patients, received a negative pressure chamber or mobile isolation unit from Thailand Ambassador Vasin Ruangprateepsaeng on Tuesday.
As of Wednesday afternoon, there are now a total of 1,500 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country's capital, with 436 recoveries and 104 deaths.
(Photos from Manila PIO)

