Lung Center almost at full capacity, records 214 ER consultations in one day

The Lung Center of the Philippines has announced it is almost at full capacity as it recorded almost 200 consultations of COVID-19-related cases on Monday.

"Ang bilis mapuno. Ang dami naming nakukuhang mga tawag at saka referrals from others," said Lung Center of the Philippines spokesperson Dr. Norberto Francisco in a Dobol B sa News TV interview on Tuesday.

"But aside from that, pati 'yung emergency room namin. We had the highest consult in the emergency room yesterday (Monday), 214," Francisco said.

Of the number, 182 are COVID-19 related cases, he said.

Francisco said they usually only receive 60 to 80 admissions to the ER on a weekday day and 20 to 30 admissions on weekends.

"Right now, our ICU is 96% capacity, 48 out of 50. Pero 'yung dalawang kuwarto, minamadali namin, may kailangang i-refer. And then ang aming isolation room is 100% capacity," he said.

"Ang meron kami ngayon 'yung ward namin, the rest not needing critical care, nasa 58% capacity po 'yan. 'Yan po ang pinakamaayos na kondisyon na kaya naming tanggapin kasi 'yung kama namin talagang naka-reserba for critical cases eh," Francisco added.

Francisco however noted that the figures are "very fluid."

"Yes. But this figures are very fluid, very dynamic ito eh. Maya't maya nagbabago po ito eh,"

Due to COVID-19, rooms with a capacity for eight people were turned into rooms for single COVID-19 patients.

"Ang talagang total bed capacity ng Lung Center is 250 beds. But as we cannot put in many beds in one room, isa-isa lang, 'yung operational capacity bumagsak 'yan to 169 beds," Francisco said, adding that three-fourths of the beds had been dedicated to COVID-19 patients.

Over 30 of their staff tested positive for the virus, underwent quarantine and had recovered. Four remain under recovery as of the moment, he said. 

The National Kidney and Transplant Institute on Monday said its beds for COVID-19 cases were nearing full capacity.

Private hospitals are nearing their full capacity for COVID-19 cases amid the increase in the number of infected patients, according to the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PHAPI).

“Halos pare-pareho din po ngayon [ang mga hospital] kasi nga ho nag-increase 'yung ating positive na mga pasyente parang katulad noong una,” PHAPI president Dr. Rustico Jimenez said in an interview on Unang Balita on Tuesday.

Among the hospitals that already declared full capacity are St. Luke's Medical Center (both Quezon City and Bonifacio Global City hospitals), Makati Medical Center and The Medical City. —Jamil Santos/KG, GMA News