Pasig turns drive-in hotel into quarantine facility for COVID-19 PUIs, PUMs

The Pasig City government has turned a hotel into a quarantine facility for persons under investigation for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID), Mayor Vico Sotto said on Thursday.

"Dahlia Hotel Pasig has now been converted into a quarantine facility. It can hold at least 300 people at once," Sotto said in a Facebook post.

"Ayon sa mga eksperto, mataas ang tsansa na dadami pa ang kaso ng #COVID19. Kailangan handa tayo. Strict supervised 14-day quarantines of PUMs & PUIs w mild-moderate symptoms is one way we can minimize community risk," he added.

Sotto thanked the owners of the hotel, adding that the city would only need to pay for the water and electricity bills while it used the facility.

In an interview on “24 Oras,” Sotto said the city would make sure PUIs and PUMs under quarantine are well taken care of.

“Para makasiguro po tayo na ‘yong mga naka-quarantine natin ay nababantayan at hindi po nakakasalamuha pa ng ibang tao, wala na pong ibang close contacts,” Sotto said.

He cited experts saying there was a big chance COVID-19 cases increasing in the coming weeks.

“Kailangan handa tayo. Strict supervised 14-day wuarantine of PUMs and PUIs with mild-moderate symptoms is one way we can minimize community risk,” he said in a Facebook post.

Aside from the quarantine facility, Pasig also made use of drone technology to disinfect the city.

According to Mariz Umali's report on "24 Oras", each drone can load up to 10 liters of disinfectant and spray a wide range of 500 up to 1000 square meters. It can fly continuously for 30 minutes.

The drones they will use are the same ones China and South Korea used to fight the virus.

Meanwhile, amid the suspension of public transport Pasig also distributed more than a hundred bicycles, which will be used at checkpoints and its medical frontliners.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 patients in the country reached 217 with 17 deaths on Thursday.

On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte implemented an enhanced community quarantine over Luzon.

Duterte also placed the entire Philippines under a state of calamity, allowing the government to tap more funds to contain the spread of the virus. -NB, GMA News