A group of experts warned of the possible increase to 70 percent or critical level in hospital occupancy in Cebu City within two weeks.
Based on the data of the OCTA Research, the 25 percent hospital bed utilization rate last January 10 increased to 40 percent on February 7.
As of February 8, the new COVID-19 case tally of the city has been reaching 130 per day. The current COVID-19 reproduction number in Cebu City is 1.4.
The group of experts estimated that 240 more hospital beds allocated for COVID-19 may be utilized within 16 days in case the increase in newly reported cases continues.
Meanwhile, almost 3,000 medical frontline workers of Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center are set to receive the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines once they volumes arrive in Cebu.
“For Central Visayas, Sotto is part of the list primarily because all these hospitals are tagged to be COVID hospitals. There are 2,987 healthcare workers in Sotto. But as per their data, there are 2,480 that okayed to be vaccinated,” DOH-7 Spokesperson Dr. Mary Jane Loreche said.
The actual vaccine rollout is expected to begin mid-February. The health department in the region has been conducting trainings in preparation for the rollout.
Cebu City has 13, 625 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 2,218 if which are active. – Report from Mark Fetalco and John Aroa/PTV Cebu
