The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAPI) on Saturday, July 24, has noted an increase in healthcare utilization rate in Ilocos Region, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Davao Region.

"Ang problema kasi doon sa outlying regions na yan konti po ang facilities nila, hindi katulad ng , kaya nila ang napakaraming pasyente (The problem ist that in those outlying region have very few facilities unlike in the NCR where they can accommodate more patients)," PHAPI President Dr. Jose de Grano said in an interview with DZBB.

"Doon po sa mga region na yun dahil nga po konti ang healthcare facilities, may mga ospital talagang halos critical na ang kanilang occupancy rates. Ibig sabihin nun more than 80 percent na po ang kanilang occupancy rate (Because there are few healthcare facilities in those regions, there are hospitals there that have critical occupancy rate. This means their occupancy rate is more than 80 percent)," he added.

De Grano, however, hopes that the Delta variant won't lead to more severe or critical COVID-19 cases.

"Sana magkaroon man tayo ng ganyan, yun pong dati na almost 95 percent almost asymptomatic at mild para ilalagay na lang po natin sa isolation facilities at ang ospital naman doon sa moderate, severe, at critical lang po (Hopefully it would be the same as before where almost 95 percent of cases are asymtomatic and mild so we can just put them in isolation facilities and those with moderate, severe, and critical COVID-19 can be accommodated in hospitals)."

The Philippines has so far recorded 47 cases of the Delta variant, 23 of which are local cases.