The city government is working on the activation of its One Hospital Command Center (OHCC) to properly coordinate the admission of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients.

City Mayor Ronnel Rivera said Monday the City Inter-Agency Task Force (CIATF) for the Management of Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases and concerned agencies are currently finalizing the systems to operate the center.

He said the activation of the OHCC was among the strategies adopted by the CIATF to ensure that the city’s Covid-19 referral hospitals will not be overwhelmed.

The mayor said the system will interconnect all hospitals and other related facilities in the city that are catering to Covid-19 patients.

The OHCC will be set up at the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and would operate “24/7” or 24 hours a day, seven days a week, he said.

“This will allow us to properly manage our admissions and prioritize those really needing hospital care,” Rivera told reporters.

He said the command center will evaluate the cases of prospective patients and facilitate the accommodation of moderate to severe cases.

Rivera said there had been instances wherein patients who have financial advantage sought hospitalization even though they can be managed at home.

The OHCC is patterned after the system launched in September last year by the Department of Health (DOH) in Metro Manila to facilitate the proper utilization of hospital resources and coordinate the admission of Covid-19 patients.

Under the system, the command center will be regularly updated on the status of concerned hospitals, especially on the available beds and facilities.

The city currently has seven Covid-19 referral hospitals, all already nearing their full capacity due to the increasing daily infections.

The DOH reported a total of 311 hospital beds for Covid-19 cases here as of Sept. 25, comprising 188 isolation, 89 ward, and 34 intensive care unit beds. The city has 24 mechanical ventilators.

On Sunday, the City Health Office recorded 48 new Covid-19 infections, increasing the active cases in the area to 1,010.

The confirmed cases in the city since last year already reached a total of 12,579, with 437 related deaths and 11,132 recoveries. (PNA)