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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider COVID-19 ICU rate drops to 43 percent after increase in beds

COVID-19 ICU rate drops to 43 percent after increase in beds

Published May 3, 2021 02:25 pm

Is Metro Manila's critical hospital care capacity out of the danger level?

Health Secretary Francisco Duque inspects a temporary health facility at Eva Macapagal Terminal in Manila on April 26, 2021 (Ali Vicoy/ Manila Bulletin)

Based on the latest computation of Malacañang, the critical care utilization rate of Metro Manila has been substantially reduced following the creation of more intensive care unit (ICU) beds to provide care for coronavirus patients.

According to Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, the Department of Health should adjust the number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds in its daily update to reflect the latest improvement in the health care capacity in Metro Manila.

"At 700 beds at 70 percent utilization, kung gagawin 'yan 1,148 total beds, ang utilization rate ay bababa ng 42.68 (From the 70 percent utilization of 700 beds, if that will be adjusted to 1,448 total beds, the utilization rate will decrease to 42.68 percent)," Roque said during a televised press briefing Monday, May 3.

As the country grapples with the rise in coronavirus cases, the health department reported that of the 700 ICU beds in Metro Manila, at least 70 percent are utilized as of May 2.

In the same DOH report, at least 50 percent of the 3,800 isolation beds in Metro Manila are occupied while 62 percent of the 2,200 ward beds are in use. The DOH gives only estimated numbers of hospital beds in its daily report.

The critical care utilization rate of a local government unit is among the factors taken consideration to determine the community quarantine status of a place. The government previously said a critical care rate use of more than 70 percent is considered danger zone. Other indicators of a risk classification include the daily attack rate and the two-week attack rate in coronavirus cases.

Metro Manila and four nearby provinces, collectively known as NCR Plus, remained under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until May 14. NCR Plus was previously placed under a two-week strict lockdown to curb the rapid spread in coronavirus cases.

In the same televised press briefing, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said more than 300 ICU beds have been added to Metro Manila's hospital capacity.

From the 781 ICU beds in Metro Manila, Vega said they have expanded the allocated beds for ICU to 1,148 or an increase of 367.

Roque said he hopes the revised numbers will be shown in the latest daily report of the DOH.

Related Tags

Harry Roque Metro Manila Department of Health (DOH) Malacañang critical care utilization rate hospital capacity leopoldo vega modified enhanced community quarantine
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