Cebu City hospitals now at moderate risk

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City hospitals, in general are at moderate risk for COVID-19 but government hospitals are now considered high risk.

Authorities are concerned these government hospitals may get overwhelmed if the daily average of new cases in the city continues to stay at the 500 or 600 mark.

Based on data released by the city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), the total utilization rate for the 15 hospital facilities is now at 61.13 percent as of January 18.

Utilization rate for the three public hospitals alone is now at 80.87 percent while utilization rate in 12 private hospitals is at 41.67 percent.

EOC’s deputy chief implementer, Councilor Joel Garganera, said the Cebu City Medical Center will add 100 more COVID beds.

Mayor Michael Rama had directed the EOC and the City Health Department to monitor hospitals and other quarantine facilities regularly and expand bed allocation when necessary. Even with the critical care utilization rate at moderate risk, utilization of ICU beds is still on a safe level, said Dr. Caroll Cajegas, head of EOC’s data analysis cluster.

 The four barangay isolation centers (BIC), however, are nearing full capacity, she said.

Patients

As of this writing, there are 221 patients in BICs and there are 192 isolating in hotels. Most of those in hospitals and even in isolation facilities are experiencing mild to moderate symptoms.

The city has encouraged those experiencing only mild symptoms or asymptomatic patients to isolate at home.  Cajegas said the teleconsultation and the EOC’s hotlines are available for patients at home.

Hospitals with COVID wards are also enjoined to admit only patients who are in critical or severe condition.

Based on EOC data released on January 19, Cebu City has 3,822 active cases spread in 73 barangays.

The seven barangays without transmission, as of this writing, are the mountain barangays of Agsungot, Lusaran, Sinsin, Buot, Paril, Tabunan and Tagba-o.

 On January 17, the city recorded 670 fresh cases and on January 18, recorded 660 out of 1,540 residents tested.

This brings the positivity case to 42.86 percent. So far, the city has recorded five deaths since cases spiked at the beginning of 2022. — JMO (FREEMAN)