The spokesperson of Philippine General Hospital said Monday that medical frontiers do not need a time out yet, despite the COVID-19 surge in Metro Manila in the recent days.
“Hindi pa naman kasi medyo bago pa lang ito na bumugso ang admissions. Pero siyempre, depende sa trend. We are hoping na hindi tayo bumalik sa dati,” PGH spokesperson Dr. Jonas del Rosario said in an interview on GMA’s Unang Hirit.
Last year, frontliners in Metro Manila – which eased the general community quarantine in June – demanded a “time out” and asked that the region be returned to the enhanced community quarantine due to the increase in COVID-19 cases.
The request of the frontliners was granted, and Metro Manila was subjected to a modified enhanced community quarantine for two weeks in August.
As of Sunday, the Department of Health (DOH) reported 3,276 new infections. Of the total, 36,043 are active cases undergoing treatment of quarantine, of which 90.6% are mild, 4.2% are asymptomatic, 2.2% are critical, 2.1% are severe and 0.91% are moderate.
At PGH, the number of patients admitted due to the virus breached the 100-mark this March.
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No need for time out for medical frontliners yet – PGH spox
“Totoo, na-breach na naman namin ‘yung 100-mark. Kasi for the last few months, we were just averaging mga 70-80. Tapos may time pa nga a month ago umabot pa kami ng line of 60. So masaya kami noon kasi bumababa na talaga,” del Rosario said.
“Tapos itong pagpasok ng Marso, medyo nagulat kami kasi ang bilis ng pag-akyat. Sumipa ng mahigit isang daan. Ang pinakamataas ay 105 ang naka-admit na patients [na may COVID-19] sa PGH. Kahapon po ay nasa 102 kami,” he said.
Del Rosario said PGH will have to adjust to accommodate more COVID-19 patients.
“Ang original bed capacity ng PGH ay 200. We have to make adjustments po, kasi for a long time hindi na po nagagamit ‘yung ilang wards at rooms sa pay wards sa COVID. So kawawa naman ‘yung non-COVID patients namin na hindi namin ma-admit. We opened some wings para ma-accommodate ‘yung non-COVID admissions. Pero dahil eto na, dumadami na naman ang COVID, we may have to slide back at reconvert ‘yung ilang rooms ulit at buksan ulit para sa COVID,” he said.