The Department of Health (DOH) asked various hospitals to increase (coronavirus disease) COVID-19 dedicated beds and oxygen supplies following the detection of local infections of the Delta variant in the country.
DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire emphasized the need to further improve the country's healthcare system.
"Kailangan lahat ngayon ay handa na to expand the number of beds in hospitals (Everybody needs to be ready now to expand the number of beds in hospitals)," said Vergeire in a public briefing on Saturday, July 17.
"We should do inventories of our oxygen supply, we should preposition logistics already like drugs and other supplies na kakailanganin po ng ating mga ospital para lahat tayo ay handa (that our hospitals will need so that we are all ready)," she added.
The local government units (LGUs) were also asked to strictly implement the different protocols against the COVID-19.
"Kailangan pag-igtingin po talaga ng ating mga local governments ang PDITR (prevent, detect, isolate, treat, and reintegrate) response natin (our local governments really need to intensify our PDITR response), doing active case finding," said Vergeire.
"Also, they have to shorten the duration from the time that a person is detected na may sintomas o hindi kaya ay positibo hanggang iyong mai-isolate natin sila o ma-quarantine para mas bumaba po ang mga kaso (Also, they have to shorten the duration from the time that a person is detected with symptoms or is positive--and isolate them to reduce the number of cases)," she added.
The DOH confirmed 35 cases of Delta variant in the country. Thirty-two of them have already recovered from COVID-19. However, two patients died while the DOH is still confirming the health status of the other patient.
Related story: DOH records 2 confirmed deaths among COVID-19 patients with Delta variant in PH
Vergeire said that the DOH is currently monitoring the COVID-19 situation in Western Visayas, Davao region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Bicol region, Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos), and Caraga. These areas are currently experiencing a spike in cases, she said.
"We are also looking at doing genome sequencing in those areas, most areas with surges para makita natin ang kabuuang picture (of Delta variant) (so we can see the overall picture )," she said.
"We have to remember na itong whole genome sequencing po natin is purposive sampling at ganito rin naman po ang ginagawa sa ibang bansa na kinukuhanan natin iyong mga may high index of suspicion (We have to remember that whole genome sequencing is purposive sampling and this is also being done in other countries--- where we take samples in areas with a high index of suspicion)," she added.
Related story: DOH detects 16 new cases of Delta variant in PH