Workers clean beds inside a ward of a field hospital for COVID-19 coronavirus patients at a park in the Manila on June 24, 2021. (Photo by Maria TAN / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — The hospital bed occupancy for COVID-19 patients is “increasing at a faster rate” than the occupancy in intensive care units (ICU) in Metro Manila hospitals, a fellow at independent monitoring group OCTA Research said Tuesday.
In a span of seven days, the hospital bed occupancy in the National Capital Region (NCR) increased to 29 percent on Jan. 2 from the 17 percent recorded on Dec. 26, according to Dr. Guido David.
“During the same period, ICU occupancy for COVID-19 in the NCR increased from 21 percent to 29 precent. Hospital bed occupancy seems to be increasing at a faster rate compared to ICU occupancy,” he said.
NCR hospital bed occupancy for Covid-19 increased from 17% to 29% in one week. ICU occupancy now at 29%. HCUR remained at very low level (below 30%) in the NCR. An additional 1000 hospital beds were occupied in 7 days. During the delta surge, the peak change was 1072 beds. @dzbb pic.twitter.com/7SddeZvN4B
— Dr. Guido David (@iamguidodavid) January 4, 2022
“An additional 1,000 hospital beds were occupied in 7 days. During the Delta surge, the peak change was 1,072 beds,” he added.
Nevertheless, David noted that both the hospital bed occupancy and ICU occupancy “are still at very low level at this time.”
David likewise said the Hospital Care Utilization Rate in NCR “remained at a very low level” or below 30 percent.
On Monday, the Philippines reported an additional 4,084 COVID-19 cases.
Metro Manila is still the top region with most new cases in the past two weeks, followed by Calabarzon, and Central Luzon.
The Department of Health is projecting the rise in COVID-19 cases to peak by the end of January, with a notice that there may be “more than the number we saw during the Delta peak.”