The intensive care unit (ICU) beds dedicated for Covid-19 patients who are severe and critical cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Region IV-A are now in “danger zone” after it reached 73 percent, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) said.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the country’s occupancy for all Covid beds already reached 52.3 percent or already reached the “warning zone” as 16,388 beds dedicated for Covid-19 patients both in public and private hospitals have been occupied.
“Ano ang ibig sabihin nito? Nationally, malapit nang ma-overwhelm ang health system natin [What does this mean? Nationally, our health system may be overwhelmed soon,”Vergeire said during the televised press conference.
The ICU beds in other regions already reached the ‘warning zone” like Region III, Region VII, Region VIII, Region IX, and Region XI.
For isolation beds in NCR, it also reached the “danger zone” at 82 percent while Region I, Region III, Region IV-A, Region VI, Region VII and Region XI are at “warning zone”.
Meanwhile, the mechanical mechanical ventillators nationwide is still in “safe zone” level with 28 percent while in NCR and Region VII it is already in warning zone.
With the situation of the hospital capacity in the country, Vergeire appealed to the public to stay at home or when outside practice the minimum health standards.
“Mapapagod ang ating mga doktor, nars, at mga nag-alaaga sa atin sa ospital [Our doctors, nurses, and other health care workers in hospitals may get exhausted],” Vergeire lamented.
Vergeire also urged the hospitals to increase the number of dedicated beds to the target percentage specified by AO 2020-0016.
“We don’t want to reach the danger zone for Covid bed occupancy in other areas like what’s happening in NCR, that’s why we continue to remind our hospitals,” she added.
Meanwile, as of 4 p.m. of July 28, the DOH reported the total number of Covid-19 cases at 83,673 after total of 1,678 confirmed cases were logged based on the total tests done by 81 out of 91 current operational labs.
The DOH said that there were 173 recoveries. This brings the total number of recoveries to 26,617.
Four deaths were recorded. Of the 4 deaths, 2 (50 percent) occurred in July and 2 (50 percent) in June. Deaths were from NCR (2 or 50 percent) and Region 7 (2 or 50 percent).
The death toll stood at 1,947.
Image credits: Eric Paul Guanlao