(Eagle News) — The Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital in Manila is closing temporarily due to an increase in COVID-19 cases there.
According to the hospital, the temporary closure, which started on Saturday, Jan. 1, at 8 p.m., was because the number of COVID-19 patients in the medical institution was more than the number of beds.
The hospital said the temporary closure would allow for bed vacancies, with the hospital staff, with the help of the Manila Health Department, given more time to bring patients home or transfer them to quarantine facilities.
“Marami rin pong mga kawani ng JJASGH ang nahawa na (Many of the hospital staff have already been infected),” the hospital said.
The hospital did not say when it would open to other patients again.
“Maaari po munang pumunta sa ibang pampublikong ospital sa Lungsod ng Maynila (You may go to other public hospitals in the Manila),” the hospital said.
The Department of Health has warned against the possibility of an “exponential growth” in COVID-19 cases following the detection of three local Omicron variant cases.
The department said this could mean there was already a local transmission of the highly transmissible variant in the country.