The local government has identified two public hospitals that will serve as the treatment centers in case the novel coronavirus (nCoV) reaches this southern port city.

Acting Mayor Rommel Agan said that two hospitals designated as the treatment centers of the nCoV are the government-owned Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC) and the Mindanao Central Sanitarium General Hospital.

In light of the reported spread of the deadly nCoV cases in other countries, Agan, together with City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Elmeir Apolinario, convened on Friday the members of the health sector and other stakeholders and discussed measures as well as formulated mechanisms to address such eventuality.

The meeting came after the Philippine Air Lines (PAL) announced that it will serve the Zamboanga-Malaysia route via Kota Kinabalu with the maiden flight scheduled on March 29 this year.

Agan said the dreaded nCoV has already reached Malaysia and other countries as well as the United States of America, France, and Australia.

“Since the PAL will have its direct flight to Malaysia and Zamboanga, we have to be prepared. The protocol is in place. Our health authorities have memorized what they should do so the reaction is muscle memory,” Agan said.

He said that while the Bureau of Quarantine has two thermal scanners, the equipment cannot be used yet because the airport lacks the additional facility to make them operational.

“The thermal scanner is placed in tubes since we still do not have the facility, we will use other methods. Health authorities will check on the passengers before they go down the plane. The Person Under Investigation (PUI) will be hauled to a designated area at the airport and a designated ambulance will bring the PUI to the hospital,” Agan said.

He said the two public hospitals can undertake medical treatment on a limited number of patients; on a larger scale, private hospitals will be asked to help.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the nCoV, which was first detected late last year in Wuhan City, Hubei province, China, has already spread to 10 other countries.

While the Philippines have several suspected cases, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque made it clear that there is still no confirmed case of nCoV in the country. (PNA)