PGH says patient has S. Africa variant, appeals to transfer some cases to other facilities

The Philippine General Hospital (PGH) is appealing to transfer some patients to other COVID-19 referral facilities, given the increasing number of cases, including a patient who tested positive for the South Africa variant.

At present, PGH has 105 patients confined in its charity and pay ward which has a 200-bed capacity. Its intensive care unit (ICU) also has limited capacity.

"Nakikiusap din kami, tutulan kami naman ay isang buong sistema, na 'yung ibang pasyente baka puwedeng ilipat sa ibang COVID referral centers kung may bakante naman sila, lalo na kung minsan sa ICU," PGH spokesperson Dr. Jonas Del Rosario said in an interview on GMA's "24 Oras Weekend" on Sunday.

"Ang kawawa rin diyan ay 'yung mga pasyente na non-COVID patients namin dahil 'pag lumalaki 'yung COVID operations, lumiliit naman 'yung non-COVID operations," he added.

Del Rosario's plea comes as the hospital reported a positive case of the South Africa variant of COVID-19, currently being treated in isolation.

"Wala pong severely ill, all are mildly symptomatic and some are asymptomatic. We have to recalibrate our measures, maaring may mga areas na naging lax ang mga tao, so lahat 'yan pinag-aaralan," he said.

"It's a red flag and as you know, 'yung South Africa variant is something na napapabalita na easily transmissible right, very contagious, so we want to make sure na ma-contain talaga namin," he added.

The Philippines on Sunday reported 3,276 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 to bring the total to 594,412. This includes 545,853 recoveries and 12,516 deaths.

"Hindi pa naman kami overwhelmed, that's one. Nag-uumpisa pa lang ulit tumaas. Siyempre kahit papaano kung ikaw 'yung healthcare worker, after one year, halos isang taon na 'di ba, you're hhoping na matapos na ito," said Del Rosario.

"Hindi naman kami napanghihinaan ng loob. Siyempre napapagod din, I'm sure ayaw nating ma-overwhelm ulit 'yung healthcare system kagaya ng nangyari noon na kailangan pa ng time out," he added.

To recall, frontline healthcare workers in August 2020 called on the government to consider reimposing stricter quarantine measures to give them time to recuperate from exhaustion due to the non-stop admission of COVID-19 patients. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA News