The Department of Health (DOH) is now closely monitoring the critical care resources in Cebu as they reach critical level.
This means a huge percentage of ICU beds, isolation beds, and mechanical ventilators in some hospitals are already occupied.
“Ngayon ang Chong Hua Hospital is 98% na ang admission nila, ang occupancy for COVID. Ang Vicente Sotto is medyo mababa. Ang private hospitals ang nagkakaroon ng critical level ng critical care resources (The Chong Hua Hospital has 98% admission rate, occupancy for COVID. Vicente Sotto [Memorial Medical Center] is low. Private hospitals are having critical level of critical care resources),” DOH USec. Vergeire discloses.
Vergeire points out that most of the hospitals in Cebu are level one in classification which have no intensive care units. The DOH assures it is now coordinating with private hospitals to address the problem. The DOH is also getting in touch with other government agencies to continue the compensation for health workers who succumbed to COVID-19, and those severely infected.
“Ang Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, ‘di ba nag-expire na ‘yung law kasi mayroon siyang time period. So kami meron naman tayong intensyon talaga na ituloy natin ito. Kaya lang hindi tayo makakapagtuloy hanggang walang basis of law (The Bayanihan to Heal as One Act has expired. We have every intention to continue the program, but we cannot push through while there is no basis in law),” Vergeire explains.
As of July 2, the total count of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country reached 38,805 after 52 fresh and 242 late cases were added. The death toll increased to 1,274 and the recovery tally rose to 10,673. Vergeire clarifies that the decrease in additional cases reported may be due to the change in data extraction time.
– Report from Mark Fetalco