The Parañaque City government announced on Wednesday that its owned hospital and seven other facilities for COVID-19 patients were now reaching full bed capacity as confirmed cases continued to increase.
Paranaque recorded a total 2,134 coronavirus cases, including 891 active cases and 77 deaths as of Tuesday. However, the city recorded 1,166 or 54.6 percent recoveries, one of the highest recovery records in Metro Manila cities.
Dr. Jefferson Pagsisihan, director of Ospital ng Parañaque, said allocated beds for COVID-19 patients in the eight facilities were now 88.43 percent occupied and might not be able to accommodate new cases in the coming days.
Pagsisihan reported that 262 out of its 349 maximum bed capacity were now being occupied by COVID patients as of Tuesday, July 21.
Mayor Edwin Olivarez had ordered the heads of the health facilities to place on mandatory isolation all individuals found positive of the deadly disease.
In a memorandum, Olivarez instructed city health officer Dr. Olga Virtusio to follow the existing protocols being implemented by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).
Olivarez explained that COVID-19 cases in the city would continue to rise as the local government expanded its testing, but assurances situation was “still manageable.”
The city chief executive said the city government’s “big headache” were the residents staying in the slum areas who were hardheaded and not obeying quarantine and health protocols despite daily reminders.
Last Monday, the city recorded the biggest one-day in the COVID-19 cases in four months, with total of 86 new cases.
Pagsisihan said the city isolation facility in San Agustin Elementary School in Barangay Moonwalk, with only 18 maximum bed capacity was now occupying 21 COVID-19 patients or 116. 67 percent.
In the Paranaque City College, the facility has now 84.44 percent occupancy rate with 76 out of 90 maximum bed capacity.
The isolation facilities in Baclaran Elementary School and San Martin de Porres Elementary School are both 80 per cent occupied.
The 69 dedicated beds for COVID-19 patients in San Antonio National High School isolation facility is now 73. 91 percent occupied, according to Pagsisihan.
As of Wednesday, Pagsisihan said there were only 14 available rooms for COVID-19 patients in the city’s eight isolation facilities.
On the other hand, several patients prefer to be treated in private hospitals outside of the city while other mild patients desired to be isolated in their respective houses than to be brought to community facilities, he added.
