Together with other leading Covid-19 fighters, Department of Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque inspects the Alonte Sports Complex which was converted into a mega-quarantine facility for Covid-19. National Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, IATF Chief Implementer, and OPAPP Sec. Carlito Galvez, DOH-Calabarzon Regional Director Eduardo Janairo, and Binan City (Laguna) Mayor Arman Dimaguila also graced the activity last Saturday, 25 July 2020. (Benjie Cuaresma)
BINAN, Laguna — The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) yesterday conducted a physical inspection of the Alonte Sports Arena Coliseum which was converted into a mega-quarantine facility for coronavirus patients by the Department of Public Works and Highways.
“We have to ensure that essential medicines and medical supplies are available like swab test kits, face masks and also to make sure that our health workers are also safe and secure by having complete supplies of personal protective equipments (PPEs) for their use,” Department of Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque stated during their visit to the facility with other leading Covid-19 fighters.
The Alonte Sports Complex is equipped with nursing stations, sanitation chambers, and designated storage areas as requirement with the government’s effort to ensure additional provisional hospitals for COVID-19 patients in provinces.
The province of Laguna leads on positive Covid cases in the region with 2,036 cases and 66 deaths as of July 25, 2020.
Aside from Sec. Duque, Dept. of National Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, IATF Chief Implementer Sec. Galvez, DOH-CALABARZON Regional Director Eduardo Janairo and Binan City Mayor Arman Dimaguila also graced the occassion.
“Our priority and commitment are to protect everyone’s health, that is why it is best to stay at home, especially for our senior citizens including children who are among the persons at risk of acquiring the coronavirus,” Dr. Janairo said.
“Ugaliin napo natin ang pagsusuot ng face mask, paghuhugas ng kamay at laging gawin ang social distancing dahil hindi tayo nakakasiguro kung sino ang may Covid o wala,” Janairo added.
The Alonte Sports Complex is one of 11 facilities converted into mega-quarantine centers in the country.
The others being the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, World Trade Center, Philippine International Convention Center, Rizal Memorial Coliseum, Philippine Sports Complex/Ultra Stadium, Asean Convention Center, New Clark City-National Government Administrative Center, Philippine Arena, Filinvest Tent, University of the Philippines Mindanao Multipurpose Building Human Kinetics Building, and Davao City Sports Complex.
The Alonte sports center has a 68-bed capacity and will cater to patients coming from Laguna and nearby provinces of CALABARZON.
The facility was initially opened on May 25, 2020.
From the Alonte sports center, the AITF-EID group also visited Qualimed Hospital in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, which was designated as one of Covid referral hospitals in the province that can accommodate up to 12 mild cases of Covid-19.
The hospital has recently added additional 31 in-patient and eight (8) ICU beds exclusive for Covid-19 patients.
