Five units of an off-site modular hospital were formally turned over by the national government to the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) on Wednesday to be used for moderate to severe coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients.

The PHP120 million off-site modular hospital built by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and was turned over to the LCP together with the National Task Force Against Covid-19 is expected to alleviate the need for more Covid-19 beds with the increasing cases due to the highly transmissible Delta variant.

The modern facility has a 108-bed capacity inside the LCP compound in Quezon City.

One of the five clusters will be used as an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) ward. It has a 20-bed capacity complete with oxygen and a suction system for patients in need of high-level medical care and complex treatment.

Meanwhile, each of the remaining four clusters has 22 individual rooms with complete equipment as well.

LCP Spokesperson Dr. Norberto Francisco said they will try their best to open the modular hospital to accommodate Covid-19 patients as soon as possible.

The LCP currently has a 76 percent occupancy rate of their Covid-19 beds.

DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said they are set to open more modular hospitals across the country to help address the need for more beds for Covid-19 patients. (PNA)