Eastern Visayas hospitals reach full capacity

MANILA, Philippines — Twenty hospitals in Eastern Visayas have reached full capacity amid a spike in COVID-19 cases.

Five other hospitals were closed for disinfection and contact tracing. Two are in Guiuan, Eastern Samar and one each in Pintuyan, Southern Leyte and Kananga and Burauen in Leyte.

The Eastern Visayas One Hospital Command Center reported that eight hospitals in Tacloban City, four of them private, have reported full bed occupancy.

Three hospitals in Ormoc City and one each in Palo and Burauen in Leyte, Baybay City, Maasin City, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar and Samar reported a similar situation.

The Department of Health (DOH) regional office reiterated its appeal to the public to observe minimum health protocols even as the Regional Task Force against COVID-19 mobilized some of its units to augment the medical workforce in affected hospitals.

On Thursday, 27 volunteer nurses were deployed to various hospitals in the region. Seven from the Medical Reserve Force of the Bureau of Fire Protection were assigned to the Remedios Trinidad Romualdez Medical Center.

Twenty other nurses from the Eastern Visayas police were deployed to the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center and Divine Word Hospital.

DOH regional director Exuperia Sabalberino said they are fasttracking the vaccine rollout in the region to contain the spread of the virus.

Arteche mayor infected

Meanwhile, Mayor Roland Boie Evardone of Arteche, Eastern Samar confirmed on Friday that he contracted the virus.

Evardone said he experienced flu-like symptoms on June 7 and felt fine after two days. He said he decided to undergo swab testing last Tuesday after two of his family members manifested symptoms.

The mayor called on those were exposed to him to have themselves tested.

Evardone said municipal health officer Bernize Dulfo and several local government officials are among those in isolation.