Critical care resources in Metro Manila considered ”moderate risk level”: DOH

July 6, 2020

Critical care resources in Metro Manila are considered to be at the "moderate risk level", the Department of Health ( DOH) said Monday.

Speaking at a virtual press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said critical care utilization rate in Metro Manila hospitals, particularly government-owned, are starting to surge.

"The critical care utilization rate is different across regions. And for NCR, it is about 60 plus percent now," said Vergeire.

"There is no shortage yet, although they are already at the moderate risk level of their critical care resources," she added.

DOH data said as of July 5, critical care utilization rate in NCR hospitals is at 63.41 percent, with isolation bed utilization is at 63.41 percent, ICU bed utilization at 48.61 percent, and mechanical ventilators utilization at 29.80 percent.

For government hospitals in Metro Manila, Vergeire said isolation bed utilization at 68 percent, ICU bed utilization at 51 percent, and mechanical ventilators utilization at 29.80 percent.

Asked what is the cause of the surge in the critical care utilization rate, Vergeire said it could be that many hospitals do not comply with the required 30 percent allocation of beds for COVID-19 cases.

DOH Administrative Order No. 2020-0016 provides that "at least 30 percent of all public and private hospital beds must have the capacity to accommodate and service COVID-19 patients".

"If they say that they are already at 100 percent capacity, this will be based on number of beds allocated for COVID-19, and not the entire hospital... therefore, there is still room for every hospital to expand more," said Vergeire.

She said a meeting with Metro Manila hospitals is set Monday to discuss the rise in critical care utilization rate.

The DOH said over 11,000 COVID-19 cases are under home quarantine.

"The home quarantine total, based on reports, is at 11,018," said Vergeire.

The Cordillera Administrative Region has the most patients under home quarantine with 3,571; followed by Central Visayas with 2,189; and Ilocos Region with 2,184.

The National Capital Region has a total of 491 patients under home quarantine.

Vergeire said the high number of patients under home quarantine can be due to the fact that 94.3 percent of the cases have mild symptoms, while another 5.1 percent are asymptomatic.

Vergeire said severe cases are at 0.5 percent, while critical cases are at 0.1 percent. DMS