Zambales hospital on ‘critical level’ due to surging COVID-19 cases

The President Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital in Iba, Zambales is almost filled with coronavirus disease cases being treated here. Photo by Joanna Rose Aglibot

SAN ANTONIO, Zambales –– A government hospital in this province is running out of intensive care beds due to surging cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), authorities said on Monday, March 22.

The President Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital (PRMMH) in the capital town of Iba was placed on ‘critical status’ in terms of bed capacity, said Dr. Noel Bueno, provincial health director. The hospital is designated as a quarantine facility for COVID-19.

“In the present set-up, the COVID-19 wards are almost full,” Bueno told the Inquirer in a text message.

The Department of Health classifies a hospital to be at critical occupancy level for COVID-19 if it has reached more than 85 percent of its bed occupancy.

Bueno said the recent spike in COVID-19 cases has prompted PRMMH to refer non-COVID-19 patients to either San Marcelino District Hospital or Candelaria District Hospital in nearby towns.

Other suspected COVID-19 cases, who have mild symptoms, will now be referred to their respective municipal health offices or barangay health emergency response teams.

Last week, 100 cases were added to the province’s COVID-19 tally.

The recent surge of cases was traced to a seminar attended by more than 300 employees of the Department of Education in Iba’s beach resorts.

As of March 21, the province had 1,079 cases, with 108 of them active.

LZB