DOH: Healthcare system close to ’overwhelmed’ as COVID-19 cases continue to rise

FILE –Health workers from the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City tend to patients in the triage tent at the hospital.  —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday said that the country’s healthcare system is close to being “overwhelmed” as half of the beds for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients are now occupied.

In an online press briefing, DOH spokesperson and Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that nationwide, there are 16,388 beds for COVID-19 suspect, probable and confirmed cases.

Of the total number of beds, 8,577 are already occupied by COVID-19 patients.

“Ito po ay katumbas ng 52.3 percent o nangangahulugan nasa ‘warning zone’ na po ito,” Vergeire said.

(This is equivalent to 52.3 percent, meaning that this is already in the “warning zone.”)

Meanwhile, of the National Capital Region’s 5,232 COVID-19 dedicated beds, 4,302 or 82.2 percent of these are already occupied, meaning it has already reached the “danger zone,” Vergeire added.

Previously, the DOH official explained how the department identified areas as “safe zones,” “warning zones” and  “danger zones.”

“Ang mga percentages na ginagamit ng DOH ay ginagamit upang malaman kung nasa ‘safe’, ‘warning’ at ‘danger’ zone ay base po dito: ‘safe zone’ kung nasa zero to 30 percent pa lang ng COVID-19-dedicated facilities ang nagagamit, ‘warning zone’ naman kung nasa 30-70 percent na ang nagagamit, at ‘danger zone’ kung 70 to 100 percent na ang nagagamit,” Vergeire said during a briefing last July 14.

(The percentages being used by DOH to determine if it is “safe,” “warning” or “danger” zone is based here: “safe zone” if it’s at zero to 30 percent of the COVID-19 facilities are being used, “warning zone” if it’s at 30 to 70 percent used, and “danger zone” if 70 to 100 percent is already used.)

“Nationally, malapit na po ma-overwhelm ang health system natin (Nationally, our health system is close to being overwhelmed),” Vergeire said.

“Kaya nakikiusap po kami sa inyo na sumunod sa mga health standards. At kung hindi naman po importante, manatili po tayo sa ating mga tahanan,” the DOH official urged the public.

(That’s why we’re asking you to comply with health standards. And if it’s not important, let us all stay at home.)

As of July 28, the Philippines has 83,673 COVID-19 infections, with 26,617 recoveries and 1,947 fatalities.

CFC