Published January 3, 2021, 9:25 AM DAVAO CITY – The families of patients, who died of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), have been told to immediately facilitate the cremation of their relatives’ remains to free up space at the hospital’s mortuary. Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) (Photo courtesy of SPMC’s Facebook page / File photo / MANILA BULLETIN) SPMC Officer-in-Charge Ricardo Audan said disclosed to The Manila Bulletin that the remains of at least nine COVID-19 victims have yet to be claimed from the hospital mortuary and cremated as of Saturday, January 2. Audan pointed out that the many of the COVID-19 fatalities have remained unclaimed because many of their relatives, themselves, have been infected with the coronavirus.