Covid-19 patients in mega-treatment facilities relocated: NDRRMC

He added that they are also coordinating with the transfer of patients in a treatment facility in Filinvest, Muntinlupa. (File photo: Kai Pilger/Unsplash)

MANILA – With Typhoon “Rolly” now threatening many parts of the country, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients undergoing treatment in mega-treatment facilities in Metro Manila and Bulacan has been transferred to hotel and hospital facilities.

This, according to NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad in an online press conference on Saturday night.

Jalad said the more or less 1,000 patients are from mega-treatment facilities located at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila, Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City, and Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

He added that they are also coordinating with the transfer of patients in a treatment facility in Filinvest, Muntinlupa.

The move to evacuate the patients is because the tents they are staying in are not designed to resist strong winds.

Earlier, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Typhoon “Rolly” has maximum sustained winds of 215 kilometers per hour at the center and gustiness of up to 265 kilometers per hour.

Jalad reminded local government units to strictly observe minimum health standards in their respective evacuation centers to avoid another Covid-19 outbreak.

A total of 174, 616 families composed of 794,000 persons were pre-emptively evacuated in Albay;  46,180 families or around 200,000 individuals in Camarines Sur; and 1,329 families or 6,645 persons in Calaguas Island, Camarines Norte.

Navy units alerted

Meanwhile, the Philippine Navy (PN) on Saturday said it has alerted the  Fleet Marine Ready Force (FMRF), Naval Forces Northern Luzon (NFNL), and Naval Forces Southern Luzon (NFSL) while their respective disaster response and recovery teams (DRRTs) are now deployed in preparation for the onslaught of Typhoon “Rolly”.

“NFSL deployed a DRRT in Pili, Camarines Sur, while another team is on standby in its headquarters in Rawis, Legazpi City for possible deployment.

The NFSL also directed its units to prepare for the onslaught of this typhoon which is poised to make landfall in the Bicol region,” PN public affairs office chief Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas said.

The NFNL in La Union also activated two DRRTs for humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) deployment.

Roxas said the FMRF through the Naval Task Group-National Capital Region (NTG-NCR) has ensured the preparedness of Fleet-Marine Team, composed of around 200 personnel, which is going to be deployed in the nation’s capital which weather forecasts said will also be affected by the typhoon.

“The PN always stands ready to render necessary assistance and services to the Filipino people especially in times of disasters, calamities, and emergencies through its fully-equipped and deployable DRRTs,” she said.