BACOLOD City – A privately-owned beach house in Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental has been converted into a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient care center.
Councilor Jason Tupas, chairman of the committee on health and liaison of the local inter-agency task force, said recently the place will be serving as temporary shelter for returning residents while the municipal government there is refurbishing its evacuation center.
Hinoba-an is the southernmost town of this province.
According to Tupas, the beach house can accommodate up to 12 persons, has an isolated area and a nice atmosphere aside from being far from communities.
“The beach quarantine will be subjected to proper coordination with the provincial government. All returning residents of Hinoba-an must first go through the repatriation process of the provincial government,” he said.
“We are increasing our own quarantine capacity. In case there will be congestion at the Provincial Healing Center and at the Mambukal Resort, the province might reach out to us to accommodate our constituents. We are just preparing,” Tupas added.
The municipal government is also putting up isolation tents with up to 20 cubicles. Once refurbished, the evacuation center can accommodate a maximum of 50 persons.
This province’s health protocol requires returning Negrenses to undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine at the Provincial Healing Center in EB Magalona town or at the Mambukal Resort in Murcia town.
They cannot go to their respective homes unless cleared by the provincial government.
As of May 7, 47 persons were being monitored in Hinoba-an but no suspect or positive cases for COVID-19 were found, data provided by the Provincial Health Office said.(With a report from PNA/PN)
