Benguet Gov. Melchor Diclas reported last week two more isolation facilities were set up at the Atok District Hospital and at Northern Benguet District Hospital in Abatan, Buguias to cater to the Covid-19 patients in the northern part of the province.
“We are also waiting for the construction of the other isolation facilities by the Department of Public Works and Highways,” Diclas said.
The DPWH has allotted P43 million for the construction of isolation facilities within the district 2 of the province, which covers La Trinidad towards the northern part of Benguet.
The DPWH has been tasked by the national government to fund the construction of isolation facilities in various local government units to help hospitals in accommodating Covid-19 patients.
The Benguet General Hospital is the main isolation facility for the province with a 40-bed capacity for Covid-19 patients. The other two isolation facilities are the evacuation centers in Wangal, La Trinidad and the Benguet State University dormitory with 20 and 24-bed capacity, respectively.
The governor said all municipalities, except Kabayan, have listed Covid-19 cases and the bulk of cases are in La Trinidad.
“Our isolation facilities are not enough anymore that’s why some patients are on home quarantine waiting for admission in isolation facilities,” he said.
He cited a case in Tublay where a nursing mother and her child tested positive for Covid-19 but were allowed to go on home quarantine since they are the only ones living in their house.
“Home quarantine for positive patients will be on case to case basis; they must stay at home without socializing with other people and will still be monitored,” he said.
The governor said the aim in isolating patients is to prevent the virus from spreading as cases of families and households getting infected are rising as well.
He added there is no definite pattern yet as to the spread of infection in the province but said mass gathering could be one reason.
Meanwhile, equipment and facilities at the BeGH molecular laboratory compound are still being prepared. The center is expected to open later this month. – Ofelia C. Empian
