Intensive Care Units in Metro Manila hospitals are almost full due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, which have breached the 7,000 mark amid the 40 recoveries and 15 deaths in the Philippines, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Friday.
The DOH reported that as of 4 p.m. Friday, there were 7,192 confirmed cases with 211 additional cases. There are 762 recoveries and 477 total deaths.
READ: COVID-19 Tracker: Philippines as of April 24, 2020
During a virtual presser, Vergeire admitted that ICUs in hospitals in the National Capital Region were almost full as their usage was already near the maximum.
“It means they are really being utilized,” said Vergeire as she noted this was one of the reasons why Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 included NCR, which has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country, in the list of high-risk areas that should have extended Enhanced Community Quarantine.
READ: ‘New infections waning, but PH far from target’
She expressed alarm that hospitals in the NCR would be overwhelmed as more cases were confirmed based on the projections of experts.
By extending the ECQ, she stressed the government was hoping to continue to slow down the spread of COVID-19 and to buy enough time for health facilities to increase their capacity to take in patients.
The DOH official assured the public the government was continuing to procure equipment such as ventilators to help COVID-19 patients in breathing,
They had also requested the Department of Budget and Management for the procurement of P1.3 billion worth of ventilators.
They also asked for the emergency hiring of 15,000 health workers to fight the coronavirus disease.
Vergeire said they were also working on increasing the testing capacity of the country from 8,000 to 11,000 tests daily.
“We also have a target of 28,000 tests so that we are able to detect enough in two months.”
But despite the continuing battle against the highly infectious virus, Vergeire said the DOH had no plan to construct new hospitals or structures.
READ: Recoveries outpace deaths, 26 provinces post no cases
Chinese medical experts who recently visited the Philippines proposed the building of new structures, temporary large-scale hospitals, for COVID-19 patients.
Instead of erecting new hospitals, Vergeire said they would rationalize the use of ICUs to free-up hospitals for critically-ill patients.
“What we will do is that we’ll fix the process. We’ll add dedicated rooms, dedicated wards for COVID,” she said.
At present, the Philippines has 75 COVID-19 referral hospitals that have a total bed capacity of 3,194 as of mid-April.
Vergeire said Filipinos would have to adjust to the new normal and to practice minimum health standards such as physical distancing, proper hygiene, good nutrition, and cough etiquette.
