COVID-19 admission in private hospitals increased in the past three days — PHAPI

The number of admission of COVID-19 cases in private hospitals has increased in the past three days, Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PHAPI) president Dr. Jose Rene de Grano said Wednesday.

“For the past two or three days na na medyo tumataas talaga ang number of cases, medyo tumaas din ng kaunti ang admissions dito sa ating mga private hospitals,” De Grano said at a televised public briefing.

(For the past two or three days when the number of COVID-19 cases was increasing, the admission of COVID-19 cases in hospitals also increased.)

Previously, the utilization rate of COVID-19 space in hospitals was around 20%. Now, the utilization rate of COVID-19 facilities is over 20% to 50%, depending on the COVID-19 beds allotted by the hospital, De Grano said.

Most of these cases were admitted to hospitals initially due to other illnesses, according to De Grano.

“Yun pong iba na nakikita nating tumataas ngayon ay nagpapa-admit po sa ibang sakit and then pag-test at screening po natin nagiging positive. Yun po ang karamihan po doon,” he said.

(We are seeing that most of these cases were admitted to hospitals due to other diseases and later on tested positive for COVID-19.)

The areas where private hospitals have an increased number of COVID-19 admission include the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Western Visayas, and Davao Region, De Grano said.

De Grano reminded the public that going to hospitals is still safe because their COVID-19 facilities are isolated and health protocols are being observed.

On Tuesday, the Department of Health (DOH) logged 1,088 new COVID-19 cases, while the active tally went down to 15,229.

This was the 13th day straight that more than 1,000 COVID-19 cases were recorded, with the nationwide COVID-19 tally increasing to 4,118,013.

The active infections dropped to 15,229 cases. According to the GMA Integrated News Research, this is the lowest tally in four days, but also the fifth straight day of more than 15,000 active cases logged.

Meanwhile, the death tally remained at 66,453 for the 10th straight day. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News