The city government here opened the Bacolod Respiratory Outpatient (BRO) Center on Monday to serve as a consulting center for mild respiratory cases as part of the response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak.

City Administrator Em Ang said the facility is available for city residents who have respiratory symptoms or illnesses, and need to consult a doctor, without necessarily going to a hospital.

“This is another initiative of the local government in its effort to fight Covid-19,” she said.

At around 12:30 a.m. on Monday, Mayor Evelio Leonardia conducted an inspection of the BRO facility located inside the Bacolod Arts, Youth and Sports (BAYS) Center on San Juan Street.

Later in the morning, the Technical Working Group led by Ang met for an orientation with the doctors, health care staff, security and sanitation support group, and other personnel that will man the respiratory center.

Ang said volunteer doctors from the Canlaon Medical Society and the Negros Occidental Medical Society will provide consultation services.

The BRO Center will serve patients with respiratory conditions such as cough, nasal congestion, asthma or flu. Volunteer doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals will be available at scheduled hours.

Ang said that with the BRO Center now in place, patient traffic will be lesser in emergency rooms and outpatient department in hospitals.

The respiratory center has a triage area, 10 separate consultation rooms, a laboratory collection room, and a mobile X-ray machine.

The city government has also set up a quarantine center for persons under monitoring (PUMs) in the former campus of South Hills Academy in Barangay Alijis.

Also being prepared is the center for patients under investigation (PUIs) in the vacated school building of West Negros University Integrated School in Barangay Mandalagan.

As Monday, a total of 35 PUIs have been admitted in various hospitals in Bacolod since February 2. Of the number, 29 have been discharged and one is currently admitted with improved condition.

The five others have died, including the first positive case in Bacolod, a 62-year-old female.

The four others who expired either had negative or pending results.

Bacolod has seven positive Covid-19 cases, including the one who died on March 31, but whose test result came out on April 1. (PNA)