PH designates 75 COVID-19 referral hospitals

The Philippines now has 75 designated COVID-19 referral hospitals, increasing its capacity to accommodate 3,194 patients.

These hospitals, including the Philippine General Hospital, Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital, and Lung Center of the Philippines, are part of the DOH's efforts to combat the pandemic.

In addition to referral hospitals, the DOH has established treatment and monitoring facilities with a total bed capacity of 4,413.

Two passenger vessels are also being converted into quarantine facilities capable of holding 1,100 individuals for returning overseas Filipino workers and seafarers.

These expansions in hospital beds, quarantine facilities, and testing capacity are in preparation for the nationwide mass testing scheduled to begin on April 14.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire assured the public not to worry about a potential surge in detected COVID-19 cases resulting from increased testing.