Chinese experts say Philippines might not be able to cut COVID-19 transmission

Chinese medical experts from Wuhan, China said the Philippines might not be able to cut off the source of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

According to Ian Cruz’s 24 Oras report on Thursday, Chinese medical experts came with the conclusion after visiting various hospitals in the country and holding video conferences with local medical practitioners.

The Chinese medical experts arrived in the country on April 5 to share their knowledge on how China responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Weng Shangeng, the head of the Chinese medical expert team, told CCTV Asia Pacific that the country lacks beds and testing capacity.

Shangeng also said many of the country’s COVID-19 patients are still quarantined at home instead of being admitted to hospitals.

With this, Shangeng suggested that the Philippines should establish a Fangcang hospital as soon as possible.

Fangcang shelter hospitals “are large-scale temporary hospitals rapidly built by converting existing public venues such as stadiums and exhibition centers into health care facilities.”

This makeshift hospital is the one Wuhan developed in response to the viral disease.

“In this way, mild cases can be admitted to the hospital for observation so as to prevent the mild cases from becoming severe cases,” Shangeng said.

Meanwhile, National Task Force COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. said the establishment of the makeshift hospital is a challenge but the government is already doing something about it.

“Mayroon tayong more than nine sanitariums  all over the Philippines, kasama dito yung Tala sa Rodriguez,” he said.

“What we did is we converted the hospitals that can cope with the challenge so nandiyan ‘yong Lung Center, nandiyan ‘yong Tala, nandiyan din ‘yong PGH, which I think they’re doing good,” Galvez added.

He also said they already converted several government venues as quarantine facilities to address the rising cases of COVID-19.

Among the facilities converted are the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Rizal Memorial Stadium, Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Philippine International Convention Center, World Trade Center, ASEAN Convention Center and the National Government Administrative Center. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF, GMA News