MANILA, Philippines — The utilization rate for intensive care units (ICU) in five “priority regions” in the country is at high to critical risk, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday.
Data from the DOH showed that the ICU utilization as of April 18 is 84 percent in Metro Manila, 73 percent in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), 88 percent in Cagayan Valley, 87 percent in Central Luzon, and 83 percent in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon).
The DOH said the ICU utilization is at the critical risk in Cagayan Valley and in Central Luzon and is high risk in Metro Manila, CAR, and Calabarzon.
Meanwhile, the overall healthcare utilization rate (HCUR) for the five regions ranges from moderate to high risk, according to the health department.
According to the DOH, HCUR is 67 percent in Metro Manila, 76 percent in CAR, 80 percent in Cagayan Valley, 61 percent in Central Luzon, and 70 percent in Calabarzon.
HCUR is considered high risk in CAR, Cagayan Valley, and Calabarzon, and is at moderate risk in Metro Manila and Central Luzon.
Based on the COVID-19 tracker of the DOH, occupancy rate levels in hospitals is considered safe if it is less than 60 percent, moderate if it is 60 percent to below 70 percent, high risk if it is 70 percent to below 85 percent, and critical if the occupancy is 85 percent and above.
“We need to be very clear. Kailangan ng caution sa pag-interpret ng healthcare utilization rate kasi katulad nga ng sabi namin, nadidilute ito dahil lahat ng levels ng hospitals ay kasama dito,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an online press briefing.
(We need to be very clear. We need caution in interpreting healthcare utilization rate because like what we’ve said, this figure is diluted because all levels of hospitals are included here.)
“As of April 18 also, ang ating mga hospital especially here in NCR comprises ‘yung kanilang admissions ng mga mild and asymptomatic which is still at 41 percent,” she added.
(As of April 18, our hospitals especially here in NCR comprise admissions of mild and asymptomatic cases which is still at 41 percent.)
The increased occupancy levels in hospitals come as the DOH reports higher numbers of new COVID-19 cases. As of Tuesday, the country has 127,006 active cases of COVID-19. Since the pandemic began, a total of 953,106 coronavirus cases have been recorded in the Philippines.
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