Some hospitals ignore required bed quantity for COVID-19, declare full capacity —Vergeire

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Monday said some hospitals were defying the standard of dedicating 30% of their beds for COVID-19 patients.

Interviewed on GMA Network’s Unang Hirit, Vergeire pointed out that these hospitals tend to report full capacity early because of the fewer dedicated hospital beds than the recommended number.

“For example, ang isa pong hospital—ang standard natin dapat magtalaga kayo ng 30% of your hospital beds for COVID,” Vergeire said.

“Kaya lang po, hindi lahat ng ospital nagko-comply diyan. So they allot this number of beds for COVID, tapos kapag napuno na po 'yan, magsasabi na sila ng full capacity,” she said.

Vergeire noted that if hospitals declare full capacity, they are referring to hospital beds dedicated for COVID-19 patients.

Due to this, she said the DOH is monitoring health facilities. The department will also have a meeting with hospitals on Monday to check their situation in their facilities, she added.

“Although, tayo po ay nagmo-monitor ngayon. At meron tayong meeting with all of these hospitals today para ho makita natin ang estado nila,” she said.

Based on DOH data as of June 30, Metro Manila’s critical care and isolation bed utilization were at 62.18%, while its case doubling time for COVID-19 cases was 8.19 days.

LOOK: DOH data shows that the case doubling time of COVID-19 cases in NCR was 8.19 days, as of June 30. The critical care utilization was at 62.18%, while the isolation bed utilization was at 62.18% also. NCR is currently under GCQ. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/dafHj9iESR

— Joviland Rita (@jovilandxrita) July 2, 2020

In Cebu City, the critical care and isolation bed utilization were at 62.45%. Its case doubling time for COVID-19 cases was 7.62 days.

LOOK: Cebu City’s case doubling time for COVID-19 cases was 7.62 days. The critical care and isolation bed utilization was at 62.45%, based on DOH data as of June 30. Cebu City is currently under ECQ. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/XYbmBeH2O9

— Joviland Rita (@jovilandxrita) July 2, 2020

—Joviland Rita/KG, GMA News