BACOLOD CITY — The Bacolod City Emergency Operation Center-Task Force (EOC-TF) is needing more healthcare workers to augment the city’s capabilities amid the surge of COVID-19 cases here.
This, after some hospitals here have already reached the maximum bed capacities for COVID-19 patients, while others lacked manpower to assist the patients.
Dr. Chris Sorongon, deputy for medical data and analysis of EOC-TF, said they are now coordinating with the Department of Health (DOH)-Western Visayas to send additional 50 healthcare workers here.
In fact, Mayor Evelio Leonardia already called for an emergency meeting with representatives from DOH-Western Visayas to address the situation, as he expressed concern over the significant rise in the number of COVID-19 infections in the past five days, considering the presence of the delta variant here is more contagious and deadly.
Sorongon said that only three hospitals here have available beds for COVID-19 patients, as most of the hospitals here are no longer accepting COVID-19 patients.
Aside from nurses and others, Sorongon said that hospitals here also need additional equipment and medicines for COVID-infected patients.
As of September 14, Bacolod had a total of 17, 981 COVID-19 cases, including 16,120 recoveries, 1,447 active cases, and 411 deaths.
The EOC-TF is also coordinating with the Philippine Red Cross, Philippine Army and other government agencies for modular tents where COVID-19 patients can be treated.
Meanwhile, the EOC also reported its first death of COVID-19 delta variant, who is a resident of Barangay Mandalagan.
He was among the nine residents, who earlier tested positive for the said variant.
The eight others along with their close contacts yielded negative based on the results of their repeat swab tests released on Sept. 13.