Palace says hospitals have enough beds for COVID-19 patients

Malacañang on Tuesday assured the public that there are enough hospital beds to accommodate COVID-19 patients.

“Sapat-sapat naman po ang ating mga hospital beds kasama na po diyan iyong ating mga ICU [intensive care unit] beds,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said at a televised briefing.

“Kung puno na ang ospital na gusto ninyong pasukan, sasabihin naman kayo kung saan pupuwedeng magpunta kung kinakailangan ng ICU care.”

Roque’s statement came a day after Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said that the beds available for critically ill patients have reached a “danger zone” of around 70%, a figure the Palace official claimed is “manageable.”

At least four private hospitals have declared that they have already reached 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 in Pasig City.

The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI) has also said that private hospitals are nearing their full capacity for COVID-19 cases amid the spike in the number of patients.

Most of the country’s active COVID-19 patients displayed mild symptoms, according to the Department of Health. -MDM, GMA News