5 COVID-19 patients, 1 PUI transferred from New Clark City to Bataan hospital
By Shirley Matias Pizarro
MARIVELES, Bataan – Five patients positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and a patient under investigation (PUI) have been transferred to the Mariveles Mental Hospital (MMH) from the New Clark City (NCC) in Tarlac upon the directive of the Department of Health (DOH).
This was disclosed by MMH Head Dr. Lou Evangelista who confirmed the transfer of the COVID-19 patients because NCC was already full.
“These patients are not new patients, and they are not from Bataan. But since MHH is a national hospital, it is mandated by the DOH to receive and handle COVID-19 paients in view of this pandemic,” Evangelista said.
He likewise assured everyone, especially the residents of Mariveles, that the MHH staff was capable, and has well-trained doctors and nurses, as well as staff and other personnel, to deal with the situation.
She said: “MHH has dedicated a separate facility for COVID-19 cases early on as part of the DOH mandate. The patients are now strictly isolated in a separate building in the MMH compound, away from the general population of this institution.”
Evangelista said the patients transferred to MMH were mild cases, and two were even asymptomatic.
The patients were earlier referred to Jose B. Lingad Memorial Hospital and Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center, but both hospitals were already running at full capacity.
For his part, Bataan Governor Albert Garcia allayed fears of the public, especially the residents of this town, assuring them that there was nothing to worry about since the patients have been transferred successfully by observing the most stringent safety protocols by the doctors and nurses of DOH.
He added that MHH has well-trained medical staff and personnel to handle COVID-19 cases as well as a dedicated isolation facility for them to make sure that the community is safe.
“We really have nothing to worry about. This is a call for help and we responded to it to the best of our ability. Let’s continue to take the necessary precautions for ourselves. Stay home as much as possible. Let’s cooperate with the authorities. Be clean and hygienic. Stay healthy. Pray for the healing of the sick and afflicted, for the safety of our health workers, and for all of us to overcome this together,” the governor said.