MISAMIS Oriental Governor Yevgeny Emano has ordered all provincial hospitals to designate a holding area for all suspected Covid-19 moderate to severe cases so as not to infect other areas in the hospital where examination can be done.

Emano made the order after he declared the entire province under general community quarantine from March 24 to April 14.

He said all hospitals in the province will be considered as Covid-19-free hospitals as the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) in Cagayan de Oro City is the sole Covid-19 center.

The order said all patients identified as moderate-severe Covid-19 will be referred to the NMMC where the Regional Command Center (Emergency Operation Center) has to be informed. The attending physician must seek the assistance of the police in case the patient refuse to be referred to the NMMC.

All suspected Covid-19 patients to be admitted to the NMMC will be brought by the designated ambulance in each district of the province.

The provincial hospital in Balingasag town will be designated as a specialty hospital exclusive for OB and Gyne Emergency cases if there is a need to decongest the NMMC and will deploy doctors (OB-Gyne, pedia and anesthesia) to augment the medical doctors of the hospital.

Three vehicles of the provincial Capitol will be used to ferry patients to and from the NMMC and Balingasag hospital.

All emergency surgical cases from the provincial hospitals in Alubijid, Initao, and Manticao that can be accommodated by a Level 1 hospital will be admitted at Manticao hospital for the western part, while provincial hospital in Gingoog City will cater cases from the eastern side.

In order to prevent the possible spread of Covid-19, all level 1 and 2 private and provincial hospitals shall form their respective Covid-19 response team composed of medical doctors, nurses, nursing attendants, nursing aides, and other necessary logistics.

The response teams shall be deployed in all hospitals on a rotation basis to be scheduled by the Provincial Health Office (PHO) which was directed to direct, oversee and monitor the implementation and guidelines of the governor's executive order.