The damage sustained by the isolation unit at the Norkis Park in barangay Looc. CDN Digital photo | Mary Rose Sagarino
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu—Isolation units here were damaged by the onslaught of super typhoon Odette.
Dr. Ligaya Lakambini Dargantes, the head of the patient management and patient care team of the Mandaue City Emergency Operations Center and Operations head of the city’s Vaccination Operations Center, said currently, only the Mandaue City Isolation Center (MCIC) built at the old North Bus Terminal in barangay Subangdaku is operational.
Dargantes said the city’s two isolation units for COVID-19 patients, the Norkis Park in barangay Looc and MCIC and Mandaue City Comprehensive National High School (MCCNHS) Annex Campus in barangay Looc used as a waiting facility for close contacts of COVID-19 patients, were damaged by the onslaught of super typhoon Odette last December 16, 2021.
Dargantes said the MCIC also sustained damages but one side is functional.
She said as of 3 a.m Tuesday, January 11, 2022, MCIC has 13 COVID-19 positive patients
She said most of them were vaccinated and are asymptomatic or have only mild symptoms of the virus.
The city’s ‘step down’ facility located across the city hospital is okay but still lacks electricity and water, which means they cannot still use the facility.
Dargantes said if the electricity at the step down facility will be back, the new admission for COVID-19 patients will be at the facility instead of the MCCI so they can repair the damages in this isolation unit.
She said they are always coordinating with Visayan Electric about the energization at the step down facility.
The City Engineering Office, she added, has already assessed the damage and the cost to restore the Norkis Park.
She said they are now finding a contractor to repair the facility.
For the MCCNHS, she said they are still determining who will cover for the cost of restoration, whether it be the city or the Department of Education.
/bmjo
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