66 percent of COVID-19 patients admitted to PGH recovered

More than 60 percent of COVID-19 patients admitted to Philippine General Hospital (PGH) have recovered, UP-PGH spokesperson Jonas del Rosario said Wednesday.

Del Rosario said that since PGH admitted its first COVID-19 cases last February 3, at least 185 COVID-19 patients have been admitted to their hospital. Of this number, 123 have recovered, 33 have died, while the rest are still confined.

“Nakakatugon po kami rito sa PGH. Simula po noong February 3, 123 na ang na-discharge dahil nakarecover, tapos 33 naman po ang namatay o mga 15% to 16 %,” Del Rosario said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

“Karamihan po ng na-admit sa amin ay nasa advanced stage na po [ng COVID-19]. Meron rin pong mga mild cases, pero mas marami po talaga iyong moderate to severe to critically ill,” Del Rosario added.

PGH was eventually designated as a COVID-19 referral hospital by March 30, and they had since admitted around 150 COVID-19 patients for the said facility.

At present, PGH’s COVID-19 facility has 130 hospital beds, but the number of patients  already exceeded the bed capacity with the influx of patients during the last two days.

“Nagkaroon po kami ng 150 patients noong nakaraang dalawang araw pero nadischarge na rin po namin ang iba kaya mayroon po kaming 135 patients ngayon,” Del Rosario said.

Del Rosario, however, assured the public that PGH is capable of handling COVID-19 cases.

He added the hospital’s pay wing has been opened to accommodate COVID-19 patients who are capable of paying their dues and to ensure that there will be enough beds for charity patients.

“Nagbukas po kami ng isang pay wing ng ospital para roon po sa mga pasyente na may kakahayahan po magbayad. Mayroon rin naman pong assistance from Philhealth depending on the case rate. So iyong sobra po roon, sila na po ang magbabayad,” Del Rosario said.

He then cited that the PGH’s COVID-19 referral center is manned by 600 health care workers which is 200 more than the required 400 per day to give the health workers a two week-long time off in between one week long, eight hour per day shifts.

“Sa facility po, madali naman po magdagdag ng kwarto at ng kama. Ang mahirap po iyong magdagdag ng tao. Pero huwag po sila mag-alala kasi we have 600 health care workers here. Sa isang araw po, 400 po ang nagtatrabaho, kaya mayroon pong nagrerelyebo sa kanila,” Del Rosario added.—AOL, GMA News