Hospital readies isolation ward in case of nCoV patients

East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City has already prepared its isolation ward in case the novel coronavirus reaches the Philippines.

However, according to Sandra Aguinaldo's report on 24 Oras on Tuesday, the hospital clarified that its preparedness does not mean it already has patients with the virus.

Dr. Willie Saludares, head of EAMC's emergency room, said the hospital's isolation ward  is designed for patients with contagious diseases and consists of five negative pressure rooms.

Negative pressure isolation rooms have ventilation systems that allow air to flow into the room but not out of it, to prevent the escape of contaminated air. The air is filtered before it leaves the rooms.

"Mayroon kasing filter ito na talagang one-way lang ang flow ng hangin so sina-suck out niya 'yong hangin pataas hanggang dumaan doon sa filter sa taas," he said.

"Kailangan kasi talagang controlled 'yong hangin sa loob ng kwartong ito," Saludares added of the windowless rooms.

Only hospital staff wearing disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) will be allowed to enter the isolation ward.

Moreover, Saludares said, the hospital staff will screen every patient in the emergency room and if they show any symptoms for the 2019-nCoV, the EAMC will immediately bring the patients to government hospitals such as the Lung Center, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, and the San Lazaro Hospital.

Three people are currently under observation for symptoms related to the 2019-nCoV in San Lazaro Hospital in Manila.

"The staff handling them, hindi po puwedeng lumabas and treat or handle other patients kasi baka mailipat po ang whatever organism na mayroon sila sa ibang patients namin," San Lazaro Hospital spokesperson Dr. Ferdinand de Guzman said.

The Department of Health earlier said that 24 people are under investigation in the country for possible infection of the 2019-nCoV, down from an earlier count of 27. Three people have already been discharged.

DOH Undersecretary Eric Domingo said most of the patients under investigation are Chinese nationals.

The 2019-nCoV was first detected in Wuhan, China last December.

According to the World Health Organization, the new strain of coronavirus has already reached Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal, the US, Canada, and France.

The Chinese government earlier said the death toll due to the virus has already reached 106. — Ma. Angelica Garcia/BM, GMA News