March 29, 2024

As Covid-19 cases in Baguio continue to rise daily since September, city officials announced last week the city will have more isolation and quarantine facilities to augment the current number of beds which is currently at over 300.

The Sto. Niño Jesus community isolation facility has an initial capacity of 95 beds with the provision to increase to 300 to 400 beds while the Roxas Hall, Hernandez Hall, and Superintendent’s Quarters at Teachers’ Camp have a combined capacity of 228 beds.

The City Health Services Office reported the current number of people confined at the Sto. Niño and Teachers’ Camp isolation facilities have reached over 50 percent of their capacities.

The City Public Information Office also reported that the isolation and quarantine facilities in the city’s hospitals have reached the “danger zone” necessitating the need to build or locate more areas where people who are asymptomatic or who have mild Covid-19 symptoms may be confined.

The newest facility is the Eurotel Hotel, which has 140 beds and Ferioni Apartment at Fil-Am Compound, which has 30 beds can be used either for isolation or quarantine depending on the assessment of the Department of Health.

The city government will also build a prototype isolation or quarantine facility at the Baguio Convention Center where the central triage is currently operating. 

Earlier, Mayor Benjamin Magalong also asked barangay officials to identify potential isolation or quarantine facilities in their barangays to accommodate the expected surge in cases as a result of expanded contact tracing and the lifting of quarantine restrictions.

Rent and operational expenses for Eurotel and Ferioni will be shouldered by the National Covid-19 Task Force while retrofitting will be done by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Since September, Covid-19 cases recorded in Baguio have steadily been increasing. The highest recorded this month was last Oct. 5 with 77 cases.

Fifteen deaths have also been recorded this month.

Health authorities continue to remind that while restrictions have been lessened, the public should remain vigilant not only by following minimum health protocols but also avoiding crowds and go out only when necessary. – Rimaliza A. Opiña