Hospital bed occupancy rates in the National Capital Region (NCR) and nearby provinces are still high, according to the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAPI).
In an interview over DZMM on Monday, April 26, PHAPI President Jose Rene de Grano noted a slight decrease in intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy in private hospitals, however, hospital bed occupancy remains high in NCR, Region IV, Region III, and Region II.
"Doon po sa nakikita nating datos, bumababa na po nang kaunti ang occupancy ng mga private hospital, lalo po yung ICU. Pero hindi po dapat tayo makampante dyan dahil doon po sa mga nadi-discharge nila meron po agad kapalit, yun mga nakapila so talaga pong mataas pa rin ang mga confinement (From the data we see, bed occupancy in private hospitals is decreasing a bit, especially at the ICU. But we shouldn't be complacent because those who have been discharged have an immediate replacement, those are the ones in hospital queues, so confinements are still really high)" de Grano said.
"Doon po sa bandang Santiago Isabela, , punung-puno raw po sila ng mga COVID patients (In Santiago, Isabela, they are already complaining because they are already overwhelmed with of COVID-19 patients)," he added.
On Friday, April 23, Guido David of OCTA said the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation in Metro Manila "improved" after over three weeks of tighter restrictions, although hospital admissions remain "high."
Based on the recent Department of Health data as of April 21, out of the 42 hospitals in NCR that are under critical status because of their limited bed availability for COVID-19 patients, 22 of them have already reached 100 percent occupancy.