Only half of COVID-19 beds in Central Visayas are occupied – DOH-7

CEBU, Philippines —  Hospital beds in Central Visayas are not fully occupied with COVID-19 patients, Department of Health in Central Visayas said yesterday.

Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, spokesperson of DOH-7, said the bed capacity of the hospitals in the region for both public and private facilities is being utilized at 49 to 52% rate only.

In Level 1 hospitals, a total of 226 beds were allocated for COVID-19 purposes but only 161 are being utilized. In Level 2 hospitals, only 210 of 289 beds are being used, while in Level 3 hospitals, 232 of 499 beds.

Loreche said there are several factors behind the low utilization rate. One is the decrease in positive cases and the fact that people are now more willing to get tested.

People also have more awareness of the virus nowadays, she added.

Loreche said hospitals have also increased their capability to handle COVID cases. Private hospitals are required to comply with the 30 percent added bed capacity.

Just 22 cases

Meanwhile, on its second day under general community quarantine (GCQ), Cebu City recorded only 22 new COVID-19 cases.

Loreche, who is also the chief pathologist of DOH-7, said there were 317 samples tested.

“That's from DOH-7 molecular lab only. From Sotto, we don't have the total number of samples they tested for Cebu City. We have been on regular operations after the three-day decontamination,” Loreche told The FREEMAN.

Also, no new deaths were reported in the city last Sunday, August 2, 2020. The total deaths remain at 520.

The total number of cases is already at 9,075 with 2,946 active cases.

Recoveries rising

The recoveries in the city continue to rise. There were 18 new recoveries per the latest update, bringing the total to 5,609.

“Fifty-seven percent recovery rate. Kita usa sa pinakataas og recovery rate,” said Mayor Edgardo Labella.

The almost 3,000 remaining active cases are spread out in the barangay isolation centers for asymptomatic cases, quarantine facilities like the Cebu City Quarantine Center (CCQC) and NOAH Complex for mild to moderate cases, and hospitals for severe cases.

Labella said contact tracing is being conducted every day.

There are at least 134 contact tracing teams active in the city now.

“This is one of the better ways na atong makita ning atong invisible enemy,” said the mayor.

Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Province

In the same DOH-7 data, it showed that Mandaue City had a total of 1,985 cases with 970 active cases. There were seven new cases recorded.

There were four new recoveries reported bringing the total number to 947.

The total number of deaths is at 68 as one new death was reported per the latest update.

Lapu-Lapu City had a total of 1,876 COVID cases with 758 active cases. There were 22 new cases recorded.

The total number of recoveries stood at 1,047, 24 of which were newly reported.

One new death was recorded bringing the total number to 71.

In Cebu province, the total number of cases was at 1,856 with 835 active cases after recording additional 27 cases.

The total number of recoveries was at 936, eight of these new.

The total number of deaths was at 85 as one new death was recorded.

As of Sunday, the total number of COVID cases in Central Visayas was at 16,586 with 6,075 active cases, 9,657 total reported recoveries, and 854 total reported deaths. — JMD (FREEMAN)