NCR healthcare utilization for COVID-19 up to 31.7% —OCTA

Healthcare utilization rate (HCUR) for COVID-19 in the National Capital Region (NCR) went up in the previous week and remained above 50% in the provinces of Bohol and Iloilo, excluding Iloilo City, according to independent monitoring group OCTA Research.

In a tweet on Tuesday, OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David said based latest data, NCR's one-week HCUR climbed from 30.7% on July 17 to 31.7% on July 24.

The Department of Health (DOH) defines HCUR as the aggregate of the utilization of intensive care units (ICU), isolation beds, and mechanical ventilators.

ICU utilization rate in the NCR also went up from 24% as of July 17 to 27.3% as of July 24.

David also reported that the ICU occupancy in Lucena City jumped to 60% on Sunday from the 50% on July 17.

Iloilo's HCUR, meanwhile, had an uptick from 52.1% on July 17 to 52.4% on July 24. Bohol and Iloilo's ICU utilization were at 30.8% and 33.3%, respectively.

Bohol's HCUR, on the other hand, went down to 57.7% compared to the 59.9% recorded on July 17.

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier warned that the country may see an increase in HCUR by the end of August or start of September due to increasing COVID-19 infections.

Based on projections, she said the COVID-19 cases nationally may escalate to 1,800 to 11,000 next month if the booster uptake will not be ramped up as the wall of immunity of some individuals will already wane by then.

This is also in consideration to the possible reduction of compliance to minimum public health standards by as much as 25% and if the current mobility patterns of the public will be maintained at this level.

Despite the increase, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, assured the country that there will be no lockdowns due to COVID-19.  —KBK, GMA News