The majority or 85 percent of patients with COVID-19 in intensive care units (ICUs) of hospitals in the National Capital Region (NCR) are not vaccinated and require mechanical ventilators.
“Over the week, we have noted a steady increase in hospital admissions in Metro Manila. In addition, data from DOH hospitals in NCR [National Capital Region] shows that 85% of those in the ICU and requiring mechanical ventilators are not vaccinated at all,” DOH said.
From 231 on December 24, the NCR’s intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy rose to 371 or 37%.
As a result, the DOH once again called on the public to vaccinate those who have not been vaccinated and stop doubting so that the situation does not worsen significantly now that Delta and Omicron variants are still a threat to the country.
Meanwhile, the OCTA Research Group said that there had been an increase in the number of pediatric cases or children infected with the virus due to the rise in people movement this past Christmas.
In the below 9 age group, 224 cases or 6.19% were recorded on January 1, while in the 10 -19 age group, 233 cases or 6.44% were recorded.
The 20 -29 age group was the highest infected with the virus with 1,123 cases or 31.05% followed by the 30 -39 age group with 911 cases or 25.19%.
NCR high risk in COVID-19
The National Capital Region (NCR) is already in the high-risk classification in COVID-19, following the continuous increase in reproduction number and positivity rate in the region.
At the same time, hospital bed occupancy also increased by 41% compared to last week.
According to a report by the OCTA Research Group, the reproduction number in NCR is 4.05, the highest since April 1, 2020.
The reproduction number is the number of people a patient can infect with COVID. The reproduction number 4.05 indicates that virus infection is accelerating in the NCR.
In a tweet, OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David said that 2,530 new cases of the disease were recorded in NCR on New Year’s Day, the highest in three months or since October 10, 2021.
Meanwhile, OCTA recommended that the government place the NCR in the ‘bubble system’ to prevent the possible recurrence of the COVID-19 surge.
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