Expert warns of India-like situation in Bicol if COVID-19 cases not contained

The Bicol region might suffer a COVID-19 surge akin to what happened in India if the cases are not contained soon, the president of the Philippine College of Physicians in the region has said.

According to a report on "24 Oras," Dr. Eloisa Pornillos said hospitals in the region are getting overwhelmed.

Isolation and intensive care unit beds at the Bicol Medical Center, Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital, and the Bicol Pediatric Center were already full.

"Marami ang nasa waiting list. Ang iba nga namamatay na lang kakahintay. Unlike in Manila na naka-tent sila, dito, nasa bahay sila waiting to be admitted," Pornillos said.

"If we will not contain the rise in COVID cases, it's not far that we will experience what India experiences. So kailan tayo kikilos?" she added.

Pornillos said some hospitals were getting overwhelmed because some patients do not want to be discharged and transferred to quarantine facilities.

"Some of our patients tell us mas mamamatay daw sila, not because of COVID infection, but because of the situation in quarantine facilities," Pornillos said.

She said they already wrote to the Inter-Agency Task Force to allow home quarantine to those who have the means to do so.

Meanwhile, according to the GMA News Research team, 12 provinces nationwide have breached the critical risk category in terms of intensive care unit beds as of June 14.

There are Antique, Cagayan, Sorsogon, Surigao del Norte, Zamboanga del Norte, Iloilo, Bataan, Tarlac, Davao del Sur, South Cotabato, Quezon, and Rizal.

Davao Occidental, Aurora, and Oriental Mindoro also reached the critical risk category in terms of isolation beds.

COVID-19 ward beds in the provinces of Oriental Mindoro, Compostela Valley, Capiz, Agusan del Sur, Negros Occidental, and Cagayan were also at a critical level.

Treatment czar Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said the government already built One Regional Hospital Command Centers in Regions III, IV-A, Southern Mindanao, and Caraga. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/NB, GMA News