MANILA - The Philippine General Hospital (PGH) on Saturday said it was ready to start accepting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients by next week after the Department of Health tapped it as one of three referral hospitals for coronavirus patients.

"Malamang next Friday ready na kasi aayusin ang dapat ayusin pa. Pag-ready na po ia-announce na," said PGH Spokesperson, Dr. Jonas Rosario.

(Maybe by next Friday we're ready, we have to fix everything... Once we're ready, we'll make an announcement.)

In an interview on DZMM, Rosario said the hospital would only accept COVID-19 patients with moderate to severe cases.

"PGH will take the lead at ang gusto pong i-designate sa amin 'yung moderate to severe cases doon dadalhin. 'Yung iba po mga screening, mino-monitor puwede po sa mga local hospitals na po. 'Yun po ang magiging tulong nila," Del Rosario said.

(The PGH will take the lead and those they want to send to us are moderate to severe cases. The others for screening, for monitoring, that's for local hospitals. That will be their contribution.)

Persons under investigation for the virus with mild symptoms will not be admitted, he said.

He added that the hospital would not be exclusive for COVID-19 cases as there are patients of other illnesses that need their services too.

"Mayroon din po kaming mga ilang pasyente gaya ng cancer, ibang naka-admit sa ospital na kailangang naming alagaan," he said.

(We have other patients like those with cancer, others who are admitted at the hospital that we have to take care of.)

He said they are currently ironing out which services would remain open, those that need to close and others that will have to be referred to other hospitals.

PGH, he said, would allot 130 beds, including intensive care units, to COVID-19 cases.

Del Rosario said they are now in the process of transferring patients to other wards.

"Pumili kami ng mga wards both sa charity at pay services kung saan tatanggapin 'yung mga COVID-19 patients para po nakalagay sila sa isang area," he said.

(We chose wards in both charity and pay services where COVID-19 patients will be admitted so they will be in one area.)

Health secretary Francisco Duque III approved the use of PGH and other government hospitals for treating coronavirus patients.

• Philippines assigns 2 gov't hospitals for COVID-19 treatment: health chief

Rosario said the arrangement with PGH includes assistance in terms of manpower, equipment and facilities.

He said the hospital would be needing more ventilators to aid breathing of critically ill patients.

Currently, PGH is only attending to 1 COVID-19 patient. They are thankful that none of their healthcare workers have been infected. PGH has 4,000 employees, of which 1,500 are healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, paramedics and support staff.