Healthcare utilization, ICU bed occupancy in NCR now at ‘safe zone’ — DOH

FILE PHOTO Healthworkers attending suspected person for COVID-19 at the Santa Ana hospital in Manila. Santa Ana hospital conducting swab tests on persons under investigation for COVID-19 and their own employees who are exposed in their wards with COVID-19 patient everyday.
INQUIRER PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The overall healthcare utilization rate (HCUR) and intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy in Metro Manila is now at the safe zone as COVID-19 cases continue to go on a downward trend, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.

According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, the HCUR in Metro Manila is currently at 48 percent, while ICU utilization is at 61 percent.

“Sa kabuuan, ang ating HCUR at ICU utilization ng NCR ay nasa safe zone na na ngayon, ngunit nananatiling nasa mataas na risk ang ilang mga NCR Plus areas,” she said in an online press briefing.

(Overall, the HCUR and ICU utilization in the NCR is now at the safe zone, but other areas in the NCR Plus are still at high risk.)

HCUR includes the utilization of all ICU, isolation, and ward beds.

The ICU utilization in Metro Manila was previously at 88 percent during the peak of the surge, according to Vergeire.

Meanwhile, the utilization rate for temporary treatment and monitoring facilities in the region is at 36 percent.

Following the decongestion of hospitals, Vergeire urged local government units (LGUs) to strictly monitor the compliance to health protocols and to shorten the period for detecting COVID-19 cases in their areas.

“Aming pinapaalala sa LGUs na ang pinakaimportante na PDITR (Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treat-Reintegrate) response is to shorten the detection to isolation to just 5.5 days, dahil ayon sa ating mga eksperto this can reduce our cases by as much as two thirds,” she said.

Vergeire also reminded the public to intensify their adherence to health protocols even with the downgrading of quarantine status in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces to general community quarantine with heightened restrictions.

Metro Manila currently has 15,428 active COVID-19 cases, including 1,204 new cases reported on Sunday. Nationwide, there are 54,904 active cases, including 5,790 new infections.

EDV