Duque: Hospital confinement should be limited to severe, critical COVID-19 cases

Hospital confinement will be limited to severe and critical COVID-19 cases to avoid hospital congestion, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Tuesday.

Duque made the announcement as the COVID-19 cases in the country reached 57,006 as of July 13. Of this number, 20,371 recovered while 1,599 died.

He said the utilization of the country’s 8,287 community isolation centers with 70,000 beds for suspect and probable COVID-19 cases is just at 25% to 30%.

On the other hand, the utilization rate for Mega Ligtas Quarantine facilities for mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients is at 40% to 50%.

“Dapat mapuno natin ito para hindi lahat, [ang] puntahan, sa ospital. Ang problema namin, nagkakaron ng congestion sa ospital kasi gusto lahat roon eh,” Duque said at a press conference.

“Ang ibig naming baguhin iyong health seeking behavior ng ating mga kababayan. We will have a redistribution system to determine sino ang puede sa hospitals at sa temporary treatment facilities, at matukoy iyong facilities saan puede pumunta ang pasyente,” he added.

With the said patient pathway, Duque said that Level 2 and Level 3 hospitals equipped with Intensive Care Unit rooms and mechanical ventilators will not be overstretched.

“Our hospitals should not be congested so it can treat the severe and critical cases. Hindi puedeng pati mild cases ay doon sa ospital. Hindi natin puedeng hayaan na ganoon ang mangyari kasi maooverwhelm ang ating hospital system,” Duque said.

“We should have seamless integration sa paggamit ng facilities,” he added.

At least four hospitals have declared that they already reached its full capacity for treating COVID-19 patients: St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City, St. Luke’s Medical Center in Bonifacio Global City, Makati Medical Center and The Medical City. 

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

“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 GMA News’ Unang Balita. — RSJ, GMA News