PGH temporarily stops accepting patients at emergency room

The Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila announced on Tuesday that it would temporarily stop accepting patients in its emergency room to focus on admitted COVID-19 patients.

“Higit 100 na sa una naming itinakdang 230 na bilang ang kasalukuyang COVID-19 patients na naka-admit sa PGH, at karamihan sa mga ito ay nangangailangan ng intensive care, high-flow oxygen, at ventilators,” it said in an advisory.

(More than 100 of our initially set number of 230 are currently COVID-19 patients admitted to PGH, and many of them need intensive care, high-flow oxygen, and ventilators.)

“Malalagay lang sa peligro ang kapakanan ng mga pasyente, at pati na rin ng aming mga kawani, kung ito ay hahayaan naming madagdagan pa,” it added.

(The patients will only be put in danger, as well as our personnel, if we admit more patients.)

The PGH said the public can coordinate with its Transfer Command Center through the following lines from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.:

• 0932 339 0827 (Sun)
• 0966 549 2755 (Globe)
• 8524 9966 (Direct line) 
• 8554 8400 local 2538 or 2539
• pghtcc@gmail.com

Earlier this month, the hospital said it would temporarily stop accepting non-COVID-19 patients due to a rising number of COVID-19 infections. 

The Philippines registered a record-high 18,332 new COVID-19 cases on August 23, which pushed its caseload to over 1.85 million with more than 1.69 recoveries and 31,961 deaths.  

The Department of Health has also confirmed community transmission of the highly contagious Delta variant in Metro Manila and Calabarzon. —Julia Mari Ornedo/KG, GMA News