PH now has over 1,700 COVID-19 referral hospitals – Duterte report

MANILA, Philippines — The number of COVID-19 referral hospitals across the country has climbed to 1,721, President Rodrigo Duterte said in his seventh weekly report to Congress on Monday.

According to Duterte’s report, these hospitals have a total bed capacity of 12,430 with an average of 40.77% occupancy rate.

Meanwhile, the President said that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), local government units, and other concerned agencies continued to establish new and manage existing evacuation centers to be used for COVID-related concerns.

As of May 8, 2020, 71 out of the 117 converted evacuation centers are already being used as health or quarantine facilities, emergency operation centers, food hubs, and quarters for health workers, according to the report.

Duterte added that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) had completed the construction of a quarantine facility, which can accommodate 48 people, at the agency’s headquarters.

Meanwhile, 2,110 school facilities have so far been approved by the Department of Education (DEpED) for use for COVID-related needs.

“It (DepEd) is currently evaluating 366 requests from LGUs to use additional school facilities in various locations,” the President’s report noted.

To quarantine repatriated Filipinos, the Bureau of Quarantine is currently managing a total of 73 facilities.

Of the number, 58 are hotels and 15 are cruise ships that have been converted to quarantine facilities covering a total of 10,210 repatriates.

To date, Philippine health officials have confirmed over 11,000 COVID-19 cases in the country.

Of the number, close to 2,000 have already recovered and 726 have died.

This as Metro Manila and other high-risk provinces remain under an enhanced community quarantine while the more relaxed general community quarantine was imposed on other moderate to low-risk areas starting May 1.

/atm