COVID-19: The Philippines hospital douses in five hour blaze 

The philippines hospital douses in five-hour blaze, treating COVID-19 patients. No casualties were reported in the fire at the government-run Philippine General Hospital in the capital, Manila.

Firefighters put out the blaze early on Sunday, that had prompted the evacuation of dozens of patients from the facility.

Its cause is not known and hospital authorities could not be reached for comments.

Professor at the University of Philippines’ College of Medicine, Dr Jay Germer said, “All of the hospital’s staff and patients were safe and accounted for.

“The problem is now smoke in the wards.”

Some patients were transferred to nearby hospitals, including two who needed surgery and 12 babies from the neonatal intensive care unit.

“The fire started in an operating room supply area soon after midnight,” Hospital staff said.

The hospital has more than 1,300 beds and treats 600,000 patients a year.

With more than 1.1 million infections and deaths in excess of 19,000, the Philippines ranks second in Southeast Asia in terms of COVID-19 cases.

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Kamila/Reuters