BCDA adds more isolation beds to Clark

CLARK FREEPORT—The Bases Conversion Development Authority added more isolation beds in its quarantine facility at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, after the number of coronavirus cases in Central Luzon spiked.

An additional 171 beds for Clark’s isolation have been in place, bringing to 1,121 the total isolation beds at the National Government Administrative Center that was converted into a temporary treatment and monitoring area for COVID 19 with mild or asymptomatic cases.

BCDA President and Chief Executive Vince Dizon said the government recognized the need to beef up the isolation capacity amid the spike in COVID-19 cases.

“We hope to ease the burden of hospitals by building more facilities for patients with mild and asymptomatic cases,” said Dizon, who is also National Task Force Against COVID-19 deputy chief implementer and testing czar.

Dizon said the new facility opened on April 19. He says it has complete amenities for the comfort, convenience and well-being of patients who will be isolated there.

There are now four mega quarantine centers in Clark:

NGAC North Wing, NGAC South Wing, Athlete’s Village Building A and Athlete’s Village Building B.

As of April 11, 2021, 86 percent or 815 of the total beds had been occupied. To date, all TTMFs in Clark have served 14,958 COVID-19 patients.

Meanwhile, the BCDA reported that over 1 million patients had been swabbed in the government’s four mega swabbing facilities from May 5 to April 9, 2021. Aside from the BCDA, the Department of Health and the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Disease jointly manage these facilities.