DAVAO CITY – The families of patients, who died of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), have been told to immediately facilitate the cremation of their relatives’ remains to free up space at the hospital’s mortuary.
SPMC Officer-in-Charge Ricardo Audan said disclosed to The Manila Bulletin that the remains of at least nine COVID-19 victims have yet to be claimed from the hospital mortuary and cremated as of Saturday, January 2.
Audan pointed out that the many of the COVID-19 fatalities have remained unclaimed because many of their relatives, themselves, have been infected with the coronavirus.
He said this was the reason why the remains of the COVID-19 fatalities have remained unclaimed.
“The crematorium will not accept the bodies without papers,” he said.
But Audan said, in the absence of the close family members, who may be in isolation due to COVID-19, other relatives could process the disposal of the cadavers.
Audan said that the hospital was ready to release the cadavers once the requirements are complied with.
He said the city government was also reaching out to the relatives of COVID-19 patients, telling them that they need not worry about the cremation expenses because it will take care of these.
In a press release issued on November 19, it was reported that the city government of Davao had allocated P14.85 million for the city government’s Public Service Enhancement Program fund for the construction of a crematorium in Davao Wireless Cemetery, which can house two cremation machines.
Davao City Health COVID-19 focal person Ashley Lopez said, in a text message, that the crematorium could “start anytime since it is almost complete.”
Meanwhile, Audan also said frontline health workers were anticipating a post-holiday surge this month.
“It’s not new to us. We have to be strict with the admissions at SPMC so that we will not be overwhelmed,” he added.
He said that SPMC will only cater to moderate, critical, and severe COVID-19 patients while mild-symptomatic and asymptomatic will go to the temporary treatment and monitoring facilities.
As of January 1, Department of Health (DOH)-Davao Region recorded 12,622 in total COVID-19 cases, with 1,815 active, 10,294 recoveries, and 513 deaths.
Of the total cases, Davao City reported 8,825, Davao de Oro with 609, Davao del Norte with 1,598, Davao del Sur with 909, Davao Occidental with 126 and Davao Oriental with 555.