Several hospitals in the Mountain Province, particularly in Bontoc, have already reached full capacity following a surge of COVID-19 cases in the province, a health official said Tuesday.
“As of report po kahapon, yung kanilang hospital, yung Bontoc General Hospital ay talagang pong puno na, pati po yung TTMF (As of yesterday’s report, the Bontoc General Hospital and Bontoc’s TTMF are already full),” Cordillera Center for Health Development (CHD-CAR) Director, Dr. Ruby Constantino told DZMM Teleradyo in an interview Tuesday.
Constantino attributed the surge of COVID-19 cases in the province to more extensive contact tracing and surveillance.
She said the local government is eyeing to use a building originally intended for drug rehabilitation as a temporary quarantine facility for mild and asymptomatic patients.
The building can house at least 75 patients, according to Constantino.
Three hotels in Bontoc have likewise been eyed as quarantine facilities.
“Nakikipag negotiate na po yung Oplan Kalinga sa tatlo pong hotel sa Bontoc (Oplan Kalinga is already negotiating with the three hotels in Bontoc),” she said.
Constantino said the CHD-CAR will also conduct an emergency hiring of additional human resources for health (HRH) once given the go signal by the local government.
There are currently six health workers who are positive for COVID-19.
The Mountain Province has a total of 673 cases, after 57 new cases were added to the toll on Sunday. Out of the total number of cases, 326 are active.
Thirty-eight out of the 57 new cases recorded on Sunday were from Bontoc, according to Constantino.
On Sunday, four barangays in Bontoc, namely Samoki, Bontoc Ili, Caluttit, and Poblacion were placed under the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) until January 31 after the United Kingdom variant of COVID-19 was detected in the area.
Constantino said there is a possibility that the localized lockdown in the four barangays will be extended for another two weeks.