Quito, Cuenca, Loja and Morona prepare buildings to receive patients with COVID-19

In the capital, the Metropolitan Convention Center, the Selection House and the Julio César Hidalgo Coliseum will be used to house patients.

Once Guayaquil set aside spaces to receive patients with coronavirus, other cities such as Quito, Cuenca, Loja and Morona are also in that task.

Both Quito and Cuenca are cities that register the highest number of infected in their provinces. Pichincha is the second with more cases and Azuay, the fourth.

The mayor of the capital, Jorge Yunda, announced that the Municipality is working on preparing infrastructure to receive patients with mild symptoms.

He commented that work is being done on the adaptation of buildings, such as hotels, where 1,150 patients can be cared for. Hotels near the city’s hospitals are also set up to offer the service to doctors, so they can rest.

The burgomaster indicated that these measures are part of the guidelines issued by the national Emergency Operations Committee (COE).

The buildings that were valued by the Pichincha COE and specialists from the Ministries of Health and Economic and Social Inclusion to receive the sick are: the Metropolitan Convention Center (former Quito airport), the Selection House and the Coliseum Julio César Hidalgo.

Yunda said that work is being done on the production of basic artificial respirators for patients with complications. According to the mayor, USD 2 million has been moved from Quito’s budget to face the emergency.

Some resources were used for the acquisition of 100,000 PCR tests for the diagnosis of COVID-19 and are scheduled to arrive later this week.

In Cuenca, Loja and Morona, their authorities also analyze the adaptation of centers.

In Cuenca, the High Performance Center of the parish of Totoracocha will be used to receive patients of medium complexity of health.

Likewise, the Hostería Santa Bárbara, in the canton of Gualaceo, was set up.

The Los Chilalos center, located in San Isidro, is ready in Loja. It has 20 beds and will welcome patients with COVID-19 who are discharged from the hospital and must comply with the 14-day quarantine. This was stated by the Mayor of Loja, Jorge Bailón.

In Morona, the rehabilitation of the old nursing home, in the sector of La Barraca, which was abandoned, is nearing completion. The Municipality of this canton invests around USD 40,000 in the arrangement of the areas.

Source: El Comercio, social networks