Filtered By: Topstories
News

Over 33k active COVID-19 cases not in hospitals, DOH figures show


Over 33,000 active cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as of July 15 have not been admitted to hospitals, data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed

According to Mariz Umali’s Thursday report on “24 Oras”, the DOH's data drop for July 15 showed that there were 33,786 cases of COVID-19 outside the hospitals.

The number represented 93 percent of the active cases.

According to the DOH Data Drop, 31,090 or 92 percent of active cases are mild, 2,551 are asymptomatic, while 2,184 are confined in hospitals.

The GMA News Research team’s analysis of the DOH data found that the majority of active cases are in Metro Manila, followed by Central Visayas and Calabarzon.

By city, Cebu has the highest number of active COVID-19 cases not admitted to hospitals.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said the 585 quarantine facilities for confirmed cases nationwide have a combined bed capacity of 15,677, but only 2,963 of these are occupied.

Meanwhile, Parañaque City epidemiologist Dr. Darius Sebastian said 742 of the active cases in the area are under home quarantine, 359 of whom live in densely populated areas.

“Sasapat ba ‘yung isolation facilities natin? As of the moment, hindi siya sasapat,” he said.

The Parañaque City Health Office and local Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) office want to build more isolation facilities.

“Itong pag-i-isolate nitong mga [may] COVID, kahit contact man lang, isa ito sa paraan para ma-address natin ‘yung bilis ng transmission e. Kasi kung hindi, iikot ikot lang tayo, vicious cycle lang ito,” DILG Parañaque City Director John Visca said.

The government earlier announced that it would do a house-to-house search for mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 carriers and transfer them to isolation and treatment facilities through “Oplan Kalinga.”

A lawyers’ group warned that a house-to-house search for patients by police could be prone to abuse.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año later clarified that health officials, not cops, will lead the operation, while presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said it should have been implemented earlier.

The government earlier announced that it would do a house-to-house search for mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 carriers and transfer them to isolation and treatment facilities.

The Philippines has logged 61,266 confirmed cases as of Thursday afternoon, 38,183 of which are active or undergoing treatment or quarantine. -Julia Mari Ornedo/NB/MDM, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT