Marikina City hospitals operating beyond capacity, says mayor

Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro (Image from Marikina PIO Facebook)

MANILA, Philippines — Hospitals in Marikina City are now operating beyond its full capacity with patients being referred to medical facilities in neighboring areas, Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said Monday.

“An hour ago, I was informed again that we are operating beyond the capacity of our hospitals here in Marikina. So, patients are now lining up to have an opportunity to be admitted to hospitals,” Teodoro said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel.

“So we need to refer patients outside of Marikina, hospitals outside of Marikina. Especially in Antipolo, we’re referring patients now in Antipolo and in nearby municipalities and cities adjacent to Marikina.”

“Similarly, I’m talking of both COVID and non-COVID patients not being admitted in hospitals,” he added.

Teodoro said there are 890 active COVID-19 cases in Marikina City which he said is “around 200 percent increase” from cases last week.

Last week, the Department of Health said the high occupancy of beds for COVID-19 patients in Metro Manila hospitals was “alarming.”

The Philippines continued to record an increasing number of new COVID-19 infections which prompted the government to implement stricter restrictions in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal. 

On Sunday alone, health officials recorded 7,757 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total number of active cases to 73,072.

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