PGH’s COVID-19 beds still 90% full despite strict quarantine in NCR Plus, says spox

Philippine General Hospital (PGH). Image from the PGH Facebook page

MANILA, Philippines — COVID-19 dedicated beds at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) are still over 90-percent occupied despite the strict quarantine measures being imposed in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces, the hospital’s spokesperson said Tuesday.

Dr. Jonas Del Rosario said the situation at the PGH has not yet changed since the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and modified ECQ.

“Unfortunately, hindi pa rin nagbabago ang numero ng PGH. In fact, ‘yung huli naming census, 234 patients out of 250 ang naka-admit sa PGH; 234 out of the 250 beds ay inookupa ng COVID-19 patients namin. So that’s more than 90 percent occupancy,” he said in an interview with ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.

(Unfortunately, the number of patients admitted at the PGH has not yet changed. In fact based on our last census, 234 patients out of the 250 beds are admitted at the PGH. 234 out of the 250 beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients. So that’s more than 90 percent occupancy.)

“Ang aming ICU (intensive care unit) ay puno pa rin, ang aming emergency room ay puno din, maraming tinatanggap na pasyente,” he added.

(Our ICU and emergency rooms are still full. We have been accepting many patients.)

READ: DOH: ICU utilization rate in 5 ‘priority regions’ at high to critical risk

Del Rosario added that it would be better to extend the MECQ if the bed occupancy at the PGH will be considered. However, he added that the number of admissions at the hospital should still be monitored until the middle of May as the numbers are “fluid.”

“We were trending down already, nasa 216 out of 250 beds, pero itong mga tatlong araw na nakaraan puro paakyat na naman. Nagulat kami 234 na naman. Akala namin tuloy-tuloy na,” he said.

(We were trending down already at 216 out of 250 beds, but these past three days the number of admissions increased again. We were at 234 again. We thought the number of admissions will continue to go down.)

He added that the charity ward beds at the hospital are also full.

“Sa aming charity wards, halos 80 patients po ang naghihintay para matanggap sa aming hospital sa charity. Punuan ‘yung charity beds namin. Isa kasing nagiging limitation ay ‘yung oxygen ports,” he added.

(In our charity wards, almost 80 patients are waiting to be admitted. Our charity beds are also full. One of the limitations is the oxygen ports.)

In a text message to INQUIRER.net, Del Rosario said that 80 patients are on the PGH’s waitlist and are requesting to be admitted to the charity ward from their homes or from another hospital.

“We cannot admit them because many need an ICU bed or dialysis. Our rooms are filled up right away by patients who are severely ill who walked in to our ER,” he explained.

MECQ in the NCR Plus, which covers Metro Manila and adjacent provinces of Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, and Bulacan, is scheduled to end on May 14.

EDV