IATF execs inspect Ninoy Aquino Stadium quarantine facility

Several government officials on Monday checked the new quarantine facility set up at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex's Ninoy Aquino Stadium, which was going to be used for suspected cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

GMA News’ Ian Cruz reported that members of the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) visited the venue in Manila.

Government officials visit the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, now a facility for Covid-19 patients | ???? BCDA @gmanews pic.twitter.com/BdjfROu0ks

— Ian Cruz (@_iancruz) April 6, 2020

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, and chief implementer of the national plan against COVID-19 Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. led the inspection.

The stadium was converted into a makeshift quarantine facility with cubicles and hospital beds.

Several other venues, including the Philippine International Convention Center Forum Halls, the World Trade Center in Pasay, and the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila would also be converted into quarantine facilities.

The government plans to isolate all persons under investigation (PUIs) and persons under monitoring (PUMs) in these facilities, as part of the interventions to control the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Galvez said that while quarantined, these suspected cases would be tested for COVID-19.

Once detected, isolated, and given supportive care, these patients would be returned to their communities as soon they were free of COVID-19.

Once these interventions were effectively carried out, he said evaluations would be conducted at the sitio and barangay levels starting April 15.

These assessments will determine if communities can be declared as “cleared” of COVID-19. — Joviland Rita/DVM, GMA News