The branches of St. Luke's Medical Center (SLMC) in Taguig City and Quezon City are still at full capacity but there are fewer mild and moderate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases being admitted in these hospitals.

Dr. Benjamin Campomanes Jr., SLMC's chief medical officer, said there are now fewer patients with mild to moderate symptoms lining up for admission at their emergency rooms, unlike before where patients were even occupying chairs due to lack of available beds.

"Ngayon, nasa loob na sila at nakakayanan na namin 'yung pagdating ng mga pasyente (Our patients are now inside emergency rooms and we can already accommodate arriving patients)," Campamanes said in Teleradyo review when asked about the effects of the reimposition of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

Campomanes attributed the improving hospital operating capacity situation to at least four reasons: the opening of more government facilities, the launching of teleconsultation platforms of "almost all major hospitals," the increase in the number of bed capacities of some hospitals, and the supposed decrease in infection rate.

"Of course, hindi natin siguardo, eh talagang may decrease talaga sa infection rate. Unless may hard data tayong ganon, 'yun ang posibleng nangyari kaya ho meron kaming konting decrease sa pagpunta ng pasyente sa emergency room (Of course we're not sure if there is really a decrease in infection rate. Unless we have a hard data on that, then we can say that's the reason why we also saw a decrease in the number of patients being admitted to emergency rooms)," he said.

He added that SLMC has more than 250 beds in its two branches but are only admitting "moderate to severe cases."

Campomanes said they are not accepting hospital reservations and that even "VIPs" have to wait for available rooms.