The occupancy rate of the beds for COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila is at 70 percent or higher, and are still in the “high-risk zone”, data from the Health department showed.
Nevertheless, the critical care utilization rate in the capital region did drop slightly during the two-week modified enhanced community quarantine or MECQ.
According to the updated classification system of the Health department, “high risk” covers occupancy rates between 70 and 100 percent, “medium risk” at 30 to 70 percent, and “low risk” at 0 to 30 percent utilization of critical care facilities.
The Lung Center of the Philippines. Meanwhile, said Wednesday its critical care beds for COVID-19 cases had reached full capacity.
“No change, our critical care beds are still at full capacity as of 7 a.m. this morning,” hospital spokesman Norberto Francisco told Dobol B sa News TV.
He said the hospital had only five beds left for moderate cases who do not need ventilators.
And the emergency room of the Jose Reyes Memorial Hospital in Manila had been closed temporarily for a week starting Wednesday to decongest the patients in the facility.
In Malacañang, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the public schools in Metro Manila were slowly being refurbished to serve as isolation centers for COVID-19 patients.
He told CNN Philippines the government was waiting for the passage of the Bayanihan 2 legislation since funding was needed to renovate the schools.
The occupancy rate of COVID-19 intensive care unit beds in Metro Manila fell to 70.42 percent as of Aug. 16, the 13th day of the MECQ, from 77.5 percent on Aug. 3 before the strict quarantine protocol was re-imposed.
The utilization of COVID-19 isolation beds also dropped to 70.15 percent as of Aug. 16 from 76.47 percent on Aug. 3.
Meanwhile, the occupancy rate of COVID-19 ward beds fell from 85.05 percent as of Aug. 3 to 78.86 percent on Aug. 16.
“Hindi po natin makikita na bababa ang cases,” Maria Carmela Kasala, president of the Philippine Society for Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, told GMA news.
“Realistically, hindi po ‘yun talaga ang pakay. Ang pakay po natin talaga ay mag-restrategize, mag-reboot. So at least po, alam namin na ‘yung mga strategies o recommendation ay pinakikinggan.”
The medical groups also expressed hope that Filipinos would still be able to enjoy the coming Christmas season.
“Masyado na pong matagal itong five, six months. In less than two weeks na, mag-be-’ber’ [months] na. Alam n’yo namang season na ng Pasko ‘yun, so sabi nga namin, sana by Pasko, makalabas na tayo in good health,” Kasala said.
Several medical organizations had earlier urged the government to recalibrate its pandemic response following the surge in infections driven by the loosening of quarantine restrictions.
In response to the medical community’s call for a two-week “timeout,” President Rodrigo Duterte re-imposed the MECQ from Aug. 4 to 18.