Hospitals in Metro Manila ‘overflowing’ with patients

Dr. Maricar Limpin of the Philippine College of Physicians said hospitals in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces are “overflowing” with patients due to the continuous increase in COVID-19 cases.

Some patients were reportedly unable to be admitted and in the emergency room confined for a long time.

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“Ang talagang nangyayari nga, ang karamihan, sa emergency room pa lang ay nag-uumpisa na talaga ang mga gamutan… Nagiging parang ward na o ICU (intensive care unit) rooms kasi hindi namin sila mai-admit dahil wala talagang bakante,” said Limpin in an interview with TeleRadyo this Sunday.

According to Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega, the high risk category of 80 percent health care utilization rate (HCUR) in Metro Manila will soon be reached.

Vega, who also serves as COVID-19 treatment czar, said the health care utilization rate in Metro Manila is already at 78 percent.

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“The HCUR for the hospital in NCR (National Capital Region) is nearing the threshold of high risk,” said Vega.

However, in the Department of Health’s COVID1-9 case bulletin released on Sunday afternoon, it can be seen that 84 percent of the ICU beds in Metro Manila for COVID-19 are already used.

Hospitals in Metro Manila ‘overflowing’ with patients

Ward beds and ventilators are both 63 percent used, and 72 percent in isolation beds.

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According to Vega, there is still a need to increase facilities for COVID-19 patients and make COVID-19 prevention measures more aggressive.

Last week, the government announced that 3,436 beds were added in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal after the implementation of the ECQ. It includes 164 ICU beds, 2,227 beds for moderate and severe cases, and 1,045 beds for mild and asymptomatic.

Limpin called for strengthening contact tracing and centralizing digital contact tracing apps.

Last month, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal were subjected to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). But 2 weeks later it was also lowered to a more flexible modified ECQ.

This Sunday, the Department of Health recorded 10,098 additional COVID-19 cases for a total of 936,133 confirmed cases in the country.

Of that number, 141,089 were active cases.