More deaths, cases, hospital admissions in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines —  New cases, hospital admissions, and deaths due to COVID-19 are rising in Cebu City.

Data from the Emergency Operations Center showed that the city has logged 19 deaths so far in July, the highest since March when there were 64 deaths recorded.

Cebu City’s active cases have also ballooned to 1,400 plus with 63 of 80 barangays having active cases.

Its positivity rate and critical care utilization rate are also increasing.

Out of 1,287 tested the other day, 184 turned out to be positive for a daily positivity rate of 14.30%. The threshold set by World Health Organization is only 5%.

Hospitals are also feeling the pinch of the situation since the critical care occupancy rate in all 15 hospitals has now gone up to 50.2%, which means one in two beds dedicated for COVID-19 patients is now occupied.

The other patients are housed in barangay isolation areas, the Cebu City Quarantine Center, and hotels.

According to DOH tracker, the four government hospitals in Cebu City are now 64.2% occupied (185 beds occupied and 103 vacant). Ten are in ICU beds, 93 in isolation beds, and 82 in ward beds.

As for the 11 private hospitals, occupancy is at 44.1% (289 beds occupied and 367 vacant).

Of the total occupancy, 26 are in ICU beds, 230 in isolation beds, and 33 in ward beds.

On the availability of equipment, there are still 35 vacant mechanical ventilators in private hospitals and 25 in government hospitals.

The majority of the patients in Cebu City are asymptomatic.

Cebu province, too

Cebu Province is also seeing an increase in new cases, but the Provincial Health Office said hospital occupancy remains at a “safe level.”

PHO data on July 20 showed that hospital occupancy for COVID-19 in the province still stood at 11.25% (45 beds occupied while 355 beds vacant).

At the Cebu Provincial Hospital - Balamban (CPH Balamban), 11 of 60 beds are occupied by COVID-positive patients. At CPH Bogo City, only one bed is occupied out of the 42 beds devoted to COVID patients.

At CPH Carcar City, two of the 48 beds are occupied while 11 of 50 beds are occupied at CPH Danao City.

In the district hospitals, all 15 beds intended for SARI, ILI, and COVID are vacant in Badian. The same was noted in Bantayan, Pinamungajan, Sogod, Malabuyoc, and Daanbantayan.

In Barili, two beds dedicated to COVID-19 and related illness are occupied; in Argao, eight; in Camotes, 16; in Minglanilla, 23; in Oslob, two; and in Tuburan, three.

At the isolation facilities of local government units, only 95 beds are occupied out of the total 2,456 beds, leaving 2,361 vacant at the moment.

PHO head Dr. Christina Giango said Capitol added 100 isolation beds on Monday at the Women's Center in Sudlon and the Capitol-owned Apas Evacuation Center in Barangay Apas, Cebu city.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia earlier emphasized that COVID-19 cases can really increase or decrease but she said it's not about the number of cases but how they are being managed. — Le Phyllis F. Antojado, JMD