Bacolod hospitals seek help as COVID-19 surge worsens

MALL JAB Bacolod residents get their COVID-19 shots at a vaccination site set up at a shopping mall in the city. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines — Hospitals in this provincial capital of Negros Occidental have reached full capacity as the city deals with its worst surge of COVID-19 since the pandemic began in March last year.

A group of infectious diseases specialists, in a virtual press conference on Wednesday, said hospitals in Bacolod also lacked nurses while COVID-19 patients continued to fill admission waitlists.

Dr. Dolores Rommela Tiples Ruiz, president of Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Bacolod, said the situation in the city was worse, with more severe or critical cases.

“There is a need for more public awareness about the danger of the deadly virus as it is not just an ordinary flu. People now are no longer scared of the virus, making the situation worse,” she said.

Bacolod has one government-run and six private hospitals.

Dr. Chris Sorongon, Emergency Operations Center deputy chief for medical data and analysis, said only 21 of 214 COVID-19 beds were available in the seven health facilities in the city as of June 2.

Bacolod, as of June 2, recorded a total of 9,797 cases and 277 deaths.

The Department of Health on Monday classified Bacolod as a high-risk area for COVID-19 infections due to a high number of new cases recorded in the past weeks.

The city recorded 152 COVID-19 cases in January but the figure dropped to 81 in February. A spike was noted in March when cases reached 271.

Bacolod posted a surge in April and May, with 1,415 and 2,231 cases, respectively.

Avoiding lockdowns

Mayor Evelio Leonardia said he would like to avoid lockdowns as much as possible because of the containment measure’s impact on the economy.

“However, if cases continue to rise, the city government may have to resort to more stringent measures,” he said.

Leonardia said he was seeking help from the national government so it could send more nurses to augment the already overwhelmed health-care system in Bacolod.

The mayor met with barangay captains and the police to ensure that people follow health and safety protocols.

“I hope people will take more seriously the need to comply with the minimum health protocols,” he said.

While the public could avail of the vaccines against COVID-19, Ruiz said the cheapest and most important way to prevent its spread was through proper wearing of face masks and shields, observing physical distancing and avoiding mass gatherings.

Local doctors, during the press conference, said the virus had spread because of a “false sense of security, carelessness, and the insistence on socializing and holding parties.” They also stressed the need to practice safety precautions at home.

“There are still people who do not wear their masks and continue to attend mass gatherings. We all have to help each other. Everybody needs to be involved,” Ruiz said.