Olongapo City runs out of ICU, ward beds for COVID-19 patients

OLONGAPO CITY—All of the seven intensive care units of four COVID-19 facilities in this city have already been occupied as of Wednesday (Aug. 25), according to the Department of Health.

The city’s 22 ward beds have been occupied, while only 20 of the 61 available isolation beds remain available.

Based on the DOH tracker, seven of the 12 mechanical ventilators in the city have already been utilized as COVID-19 patients continue to swamp hospitals.

But the total COVID-19 bed occupancy rate in the city slightly decreased to 81 percent from 84.5 percent the previous day, which remains at a high-risk level, the DOH said.

James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital, the city’s main COVID-19 facility, was previously placed on alert level 4 by the DOH for its high occupancy rate.

Mayor Rolen Paulino Jr. said they have been preparing the hotel run by a Catholic school as an alternative COVID-19 facility in anticipation of the virus surge.