The local government has identified two hospitals here to accommodate possible coronavirus patients.
Acting Mayor Atty. Rommel Agan identified the two hospitals as the Zamboanga City Medical Center and the General Hospital in Pasobolong.
Agan said he met with health authorities last Friday for preparations should the dreaded disease enters the country.
The Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC) has allocated an area to accommodate patients possibly infected with diseases associated with the respiratory tract such as MERS-CoV of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus and SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome).
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded a total of 2,014 cases of novel coronavirus worldwide.
There are also confirmed cases of the disease in the United States, Europe, Australia and Asia.