MANILA — The University of the Philippines said it was closing its building that served as a community quarantine facility after more than a dozen of its employees were infected with coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“Kanlungang Palma (KP) will no longer accept suspected COVID-19 patients and will cease operation on Jul. 3, Friday,” said a UP Diliman campus bulletin posted online.

“Individuals currently quarantined at KP will all be transferred to PGH (Philippine General Hospital),” the bulletin read.

The University said that all staff members of KP and the UP Health Service (UPHS) gave samples for testing and “among them, 15 regular employees have tested positive for COVID-19 and are asymptomatic.”

UP is still expecting the results of other staff members on Friday.

KP or Palma Hall was opened as a community isolation unit for the UP Diliman community during the first half of May.

The UPHS, a health facility inside the Diliman campus, was also closed on June 27 for the swabbing of its employees and an external audit by the PGH.

But UP Diliman said the 4-day closure will be extended until July 14 to “allow the entire UPHS staff to recover and rejuvenate physically, mentally and emotionally, and give time for a review of protocols and the thorough disinfection and improvement of our facilities.”

It advised the public to proceed to nearby hospitals instead in case of emergency medical attention.

Despite the closure, the UPHS will still offer online consultation services through https://uphs.appointlet.com

The University assured that public that it will continue to keep the UP Diliman community “safe and free from harm” with the help of PGH.

- With a report from Kristine Sabillo, ABS-CBN News