Cebu City's COVID-19 hospitals approaching critical level -- DOH
Published Jun 26, 2020 12:00 am
By Analou De Vera
The capacity of the critical care facilities in Cebu City is now "approaching the critical level" as the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the area continues to spike, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday.
Health Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire
(PCOO / MANILA BULLETIN) Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that they are closely observing the situation in Cebu City, even as key officials of the Interagency Task Force such as secretaries Roy Cimatu, Eduardo Ano, Carlito Galvez, and Francisco Duque III went there to inspect the area. “Nakita nila na 61 out of the 80 barangays meron silang bagong kaso in the past 14 days and out of these 80 barangays, 49 barangays have clustering. Pag sinabi nating clustering these are two or more cases in a specific area ,” Vergeire told reporters. “With this finding, tiningnan naman nila yung capacity nung health system at nakita din nila na nag-aaproach na sa critical level yung mga facilities doon sa Cebu City ,” she noted. As of June 24, Vergeire said that 55 percent of the total intensive care unit beds are occupied while 84 percent of the isolation beds are being utilized. Also, 64.9 percent of the ward beds in Cebu City are occupied. Vergeire noted that the critical level is at 70 percent. Based on the DOH COVID-19 tracker, there were 6,525 cases in Central Visayas as of June 25. Most of the cases were found in Cebu City with 4,289 cases. “Looking at the critical care utilization and the number of cases that they have, makikita natin talaga na hotspot ang Cebu City. And talagang binabantayan natin ,” she said. Vergeire said that they are currently studying four assumptions on what is causing the increasing number of cases in the city. First is the practice of the minimum health standards. Second, they are looking at the demographics of those who contracted the disease. “Kailangan natin makita kung talagang community ang transmission or where there imported cases coming from other areas going in,” said Vergeire. Third, they are analyzing how isolation, testing, and contact tracing are being conducted in the area, said Vergeire. “Pang-apat, tinitingnan natin ang gawi ng mga tao sa lugar na iyan. Like are there any specific practices na ginagawa ang mga tao dyan, meron ba silang commonly na ginagawa na nakaka-increase ng transmission like there would be these gatherings na kailangan pinupuntahan because they have this part or culture, practices in their area ,” she said. Vergeire said that they are expected to come up with their findings by next week. “Tinitingnan at pinag-aaralan at bibigyan namin kayo ng information by next week. ,” she said.
Health Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire(PCOO / MANILA BULLETIN) Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that they are closely observing the situation in Cebu City, even as key officials of the Interagency Task Force such as secretaries Roy Cimatu, Eduardo Ano, Carlito Galvez, and Francisco Duque III went there to inspect the area. “Nakita nila na 61 out of the 80 barangays meron silang bagong kaso in the past 14 days and out of these 80 barangays, 49 barangays have clustering. Pag sinabi nating clustering these are two or more cases in a specific area ,” Vergeire told reporters. “With this finding, tiningnan naman nila yung capacity nung health system at nakita din nila na nag-aaproach na sa critical level yung mga facilities doon sa Cebu City ,” she noted. As of June 24, Vergeire said that 55 percent of the total intensive care unit beds are occupied while 84 percent of the isolation beds are being utilized. Also, 64.9 percent of the ward beds in Cebu City are occupied. Vergeire noted that the critical level is at 70 percent. Based on the DOH COVID-19 tracker, there were 6,525 cases in Central Visayas as of June 25. Most of the cases were found in Cebu City with 4,289 cases. “Looking at the critical care utilization and the number of cases that they have, makikita natin talaga na hotspot ang Cebu City. And talagang binabantayan natin ,” she said. Vergeire said that they are currently studying four assumptions on what is causing the increasing number of cases in the city. First is the practice of the minimum health standards. Second, they are looking at the demographics of those who contracted the disease. “Kailangan natin makita kung talagang community ang transmission or where there imported cases coming from other areas going in,” said Vergeire. Third, they are analyzing how isolation, testing, and contact tracing are being conducted in the area, said Vergeire. “Pang-apat, tinitingnan natin ang gawi ng mga tao sa lugar na iyan. Like are there any specific practices na ginagawa ang mga tao dyan, meron ba silang commonly na ginagawa na nakaka-increase ng transmission like there would be these gatherings na kailangan pinupuntahan because they have this part or culture, practices in their area ,” she said. Vergeire said that they are expected to come up with their findings by next week. “Tinitingnan at pinag-aaralan at bibigyan namin kayo ng information by next week. ,” she said.