PH critical care capacity downgraded to ‘medium-risk’

In a virtual Palace briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque bared that there are now more beds dedicated to Covid-19 patients at 50-percent capacity or medium-risk. (File Photo: YANCY LIM/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

MANILA – From previously reaching the “danger zone” last week, the critical care capacity for intensive care unit (ICU) beds in the country was downgraded to “medium-risk”, Malacañang said Tuesday.

In a virtual Palace briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque bared that there are now more beds dedicated to Covid-19 patients at 50-percent capacity or medium-risk.

On July 13, Health Undersecretary and treatment czar Leopoldo “Bong” Vega said the country has reached 70 percent or the danger zone.

Roque said 70-percent critical care capacity is still manageable but hailed new data which showed that it has lowered to 50 percent.

“Ang danger point ay nasa 70 percent, ang 50 percent po ay medium-risk so nasa medium risk po tayo ngayon (The danger point is around 70 percent, 50 percent is medium-risk so we are now in medium risk) as far as critical care capacity is concerned,” Roque said.

He said government data showed that 665 out of 1,358 ICU beds have been occupied as of July 19.

“Magandang balita ito dahil dumami po yung mga available na mga ICU beds at hospital beds (This is good news because we have more available ICU beds and hospital beds),” he said.

There are also 5,196 out of 10,573 isolation beds occupied; 2,013 out of 3,665 ward beds filled; and 503 out of 1,988 ventilator units being used as of Sunday, he added.

He reassured that the country’s hospitals will be able to accommodate all Covid-19 patients following the proposal of National Task Force against Covid-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. to create four dedicated hospitals in Metro Manila

“Ngayon po meron na tayo–ang [Philippine General Hospital], ang National Kidney [and Transplant Institute], at saka ang Quirino Memorial [Medical Center]. So dadagdagan lang po natin yung mga Covid hospitals na ‘yan (Now we have the PGH, National Kidney, and Quirino Memorial so we will simply be adding more hospitals),” he said.

Roque, meanwhile, encouraged mild and asymptomatic Covid-19 patients to submit themselves to facility-based quarantine especially if they had no available rooms or bathrooms where they can self-isolate.

He said all mild and asymptomatic patients will be made to feel comfortable while under quarantine with air-conditioned facilities, Wi-fi, and food.

“Sabi ko nga po sa inyo, five-star treatment po ang binibigay ng pamahalaan dito sa mga isolation centers (Like I said, five-star treatment will be given by government to those staying in isolation centers),” he said.

As of July 20, there are a total of 68,898 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country, of which, 23,072 are recoveries and 1,835 are deaths.