By Gillian M. Cortez
and Vann Marlo M. Villegas
Reporters

THE government is looking at using “floating quarantine hospitals” on ships in different parts of the country to house persons under monitoring for the novel coronavirus and help unburden hospitals already at their full capacities, the presidential palace said in a March 30 report to Congress.

The Department of Transportation might deploy these to house patients who have recently traveled overseas and those who exhibit symptoms but have no history of exposure.

The Department of Health (DoH) on Tuesday reported 538 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total to 2,084.

Ten more patients aged 51 to 89 years died, raising the death toll to 88, while seven more people aged 39 to 77 recovered, bringing the total of those who have gotten well to 49, it said in a bulletin.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire traced the spike — a record daily increase — to expanded testing capacities of local laboratories.

DoH said it had amended the criteria on who qualifies for the coronavirus disease 2019 testing, now including health workers who experience symptoms among the vulnerable population.

This comes after a hospital barred a health worker exposed to the COVID-19 virus and who showed symptoms from being tested, Ms. Vergeire said.

In its report, Malacañang said the Public Works department was leading the conversion and use of several public buildings and evacuation centers as health facilities and emergency operation centers or food hubs, according to the report.

A task force created by the agency has prepared the conversion of 110 evacuation centers, 19 of which were being used as health facilities and 15 were used as emergency operation centers or food hubs.

“lt is also looking into the conversion of public buildings and open spaces to establish treatment facilities and isolation centers, and the installation of prototype tents for such purpose,” it said.

These were among the measures taken by President Rodrigo R. Duterte since Congress passed a bill giving him special powers to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak, the palace said.

“All but two of the powers granted to the President under the said Act have been delegated to specific officials, clearly laying down their responsibilities,” according to the report.

Mr. Duterte had “given them their marching orders, emphasizing the need for expediency and giving them sufficient authority, so that they do not have to go back to the Office of the President and ask for clearance for each and every action they will take,” it added.

The President had reserved two powers that have the “gravest potential impact on the private sector.”

One is the power to direct the operation of some private establishments or to take over their operations in very specific conditions. The other is the power to require businesses to prioritize contracts for materials and services needed during the health crisis.

“The President will exercise these powers only when absolutely necessary,” Malacañang said.

Also yesterday, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles said a technical working group headed by the Department of Health (DoH) will decide whether to extend or lift the Luzon lockdown after it expires on April 12.

The group will meet and “finalize the parameters for deciding on the eventual total or partial lifting of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon, the possible extension of its duration, or its expansion to other areas outside the contained area,” he said at a briefing.

The Inter-Agency Task Force made up of Cabinet secretaries may approve or change the recommendations, he said.

“In this discussion, science is in charge,” Mr. Nograles said.

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