THE Emergency Operations Center (EOC) of Mandaue City has officially opened the Norkis Park Isolation Center located on Plaridel St. in Barangay Looc.
The construction of the Norkis Park along with the conversion of the former Cebu North Bus Terminal (CNBT) into an isolation center started in late August last year.
In December, the Norkis Park was accredited by the Department of Health (DOH) 7 to be used as an isolation center for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients.
August Lizer Malate, the city’s EOC head, said Norkis Park, which has been operating since Monday, Feb. 1, already has 19 Covid-19 patients.
The facility can accommodate up to 150 patients.
Before its opening, Covid-19 patients with mild or no symptoms were admitted at the Mandaue City Central Isolation Unit (MCCIU).
As of Saturday, Feb. 6, the MCCIU still had 55 Covid-19 patients, three patients awaiting their swab result and five returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs), who are housed in a different building.
Malate said the City will continue to use the MCCIU for the 14-day mandatory quarantine period of ROFs.
The isolation center in the former CNBT is used as an expanded swab testing area. It has 25 patients waiting for the result of their swab test.
Mandaue City recorded 23 new cases on Saturday, bringing its total number of active cases to 453. (KFD)