PHAPI: Hospital admissions still manageable despite gradual rise in COVID-19 cases

Admissions are still manageable in private hospitals despite the gradual and continuous rise in COVID-19 cases, the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI) said on Saturday.

"Sa ngayon, manageable pa ang mga admission sa mga pribadong ospital pero medyo gradual, continuous ang pagdating ng pasyente. Hopefully, hindi ito mag-translate sa full occupancy," PHAPI president Dr. Jose Rene de Grano said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

(For now the admissions in private hospitals are manageable but there is a gradual and continuous rise in the number of patients.)

De Grano said hospital occupancy has reached 50% in some hospitals, but most reported less than 20%.

"Right now, ang nakikita namin, pinakamataas na ang 50% na occupancy. Pero karamihan, less than 20%  pa rin," he said.

(Right now, we see that the highest occupancy [rate] is 50%. But for most hospitals, it is still less than 20%.)

De Grano said PHAPI member hospitals have been continuing the restrictions regarding visitors which has been implemented as the pandemic started.

"Para sa proteksyon ng mga pasyente, hangga't maaari, nire-restrict namin ang mga bisita," he said.

(For the protection of patients, as much as possible, we restrict visitors.)

The PHAPI official said most of those admitted due to COVID-19 were brought to hospitals for other reasons but tested positive for the novelcoronavirus.

"Lahat ng mga ospital ay handa [kung sakaling dumami pa ang mga COVID-19 patient] at open naman lagi ang kanilang COVID areas at wards," de Grano said.

(All hospitals are ready [should there be more COVID-19 patients]. Their COVID areas and wards are always open.) 

"Ini-i-screen naman ang mga na-a-admit. Kapag mild symptoms lamang at pwede namang sa bahay, ina-advise na mag-isolate na lamang sila sa bahay," he added.

(We screen the patients if they will be admitted or not. If a patient shows only mild symptoms that can be treated at home, we advised them to isolate at home.)

The Philippines on Friday registered 2,106 new COVID-19 infections, while the active cases also rose to 16,577.

This was the second day straight of more than 2,000 new infections recorded, according to the GMA News Research.

Based on the Department of Health’s latest figures, the fresh cases brought the country’s caseload to 4,123,636.

The country’s active tally also jumped to 16,577 from 16,504 on Thursday, the latest figures showed. —KG, GMA Integrated News