Presidential yacht BRP Ang Pangulo ready to accept COVID-19 patients

The presidential yacht BRP Ang Pangulo (ACS-15) is now ready to accept coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients on board, the Philippine Navy announced Sunday.

The Philippine Navy in a statement said the remodeling of the ship began within two days following President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to utilize the ship for COVID-19 patients.

The BRP Ang Pangulo can accommodate a total of 28 patients with five medical personnel, Philippine Navy public affairs acting director Maria Christina Roxas said.

She added three exclusive compartments were prepared by Navy personnel for the patients with a temporary division in place.

A three-meter distance will also be observed between patients, while medical staff and patients will be given different access points.

Moreover, the crew will remain onboard while the ship is being utilized as a quarantine facility and will be sealed off from places occupied by COVID-19 patients.

The crew were already provided with personal protective equipment while rapid antibody tests were conducted,” Roxas added.

Earlier, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases gave the Department of Transportation and the Philippine Coast Guard the green light to implement the operation of "quarantine ships" as temporary facilities for persons under monitoring, those who have traveled to COVID-19 affected areas, and those who show symptoms but have no history of exposure.

The national government has also been converting several government facilities into quarantine facilities to relieve the burden on hospitals overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases.

As of Sunday, the Philippines has recorded a total of 4,648 cases of COVID-19, including 297 deaths and 197 recoveries. — DVM, GMA News