The Caloocan City Medical Center-South and its emergency room will be temporarily closed for disinfection and decontamination for a week after several medical personnel tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
According to Caloocan Mayor Oca Malapitan those who tested positive for the virus – nurses and medical technicians -- are currently on quarantine and contract tracing is underway to contain the virus.
“Dahil dito, pansamantalang sarado sa loob ng isang linggo ang CCMC kasama ang Emergency Room, mula 12:00 ng tanghali ng July 17 hanggang 12:00 ng tanghali ng July 23 (Because of this, CCMC including the emergency room will be closed for one week starting 12 noon of July 17 until 12 noon of July 23),” Malapitan said.
The CCMC, Malapitan said has already reached “overflowing capacity” for COVID-19 patients.
He advised the public to bring COVID-19 patients to other hospitals for immediate care.
"Tayo ay patuloy na humihingi ng pang-unawa sa ating mga mamamayan. Patuloy natin ipagdasal ang ating mga medical staff at iba pang tinamaan ng sakit na ito (We are appealing to the public for understanding and let us continue to pray for the medical staffs and other people suffering from the disease)," he said.
“Umasa kayo na ginagawa natin ang lahat upang mabuksan muli ang CCMC sa lalong madaling panahon, nang sa gayon ay muli tayong makapagbigay ng ligtas at maayos na serbisyong medikal sa mga taga-Caloocan (Rest assured that we will do everything to resume operations at CCMC as soon as possible and render safe medical service to the people)," he added.
However, the out-patient department will remain open for treatment and outpatient procedures for non-COVID-19 patients at the Old City Hall plaza and Caloocan City North Medical Center (CCNMC).