Metro Manila hospitals brace for post-holiday COVID19 surge

Dec 14 2020 08:29 AM | Updated as of Dec 14 2020 08:33 AM

MANILA – At least two COVID-19 referral hospitals in Metro Manila have prepared in advance for a possible surge in coronavirus cases following the holidays, their officials said Monday.

The Philippine General Hospital has continued its coronavirus operations since it became a referral center last March 30, said spokesperson Jonas del Rosario.

“Handa po kami, di naman namin binawasan ang mga kama sa COVID. Tuloy po ang COVID operations ng PGH,” he told ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.

(We’re ready. The number of our COVID beds remain. The COVID operations of PGH continue.)

“Sana nga po di magkaroon ng surge na medyo mataas dahil binubuksan na po talaga namin ang aming ospital para sa non-COVID patients na dumadami na talaga.”

(We hope there won’t be a surge that’s too high because we’re opening up our hospital to non-COVID patients whose numbers are rising.)

It currently has 97 cases of COVID-19 out of its some 200-bed capacity, Del Rosario said as he noted a decrease within the past 2 months.

The Lung Center of the Philippines, meantime, has 27 virus patients out of its 70-bed capacity for COVID, according to Antonio Ramos, head of its administrative services.

“That’s 37 percent occupancy rate for COVID para mas madami kaming matingnan na hindi COVID pero pag kinakailangan pwede namin ibalik sa COVID designation ang mga ito,” he said.

(That’s 37 percent occupancy rate for COVID so we can look at more non-COVID patients. But if needed, we can revert the beds back to COVID designation.)

“We’re expecting after Christmas break, 2-3 weeks after that, kung di mag-iingat ang mga Pilipino tataas talaga ‘yan. Pinaghahandaan ‘yan.”

(We’re expecting a surge after Christmas break, 2-3 weeks after that, if Filipinos won’t be careful.)

Healthcare workers’ level of anxiety in handling COVID-19 cases has decreased due to a better work system, Del Rosario said.

“In terms of pagiging overwhelmed, we’re past that. Siguro marami na kaming natutunan, mas maganda na yung sistema. Di ko naman masabing mas matatapang pero siguro mas sanay na kaming mag-alaga sa may COVID,” he said.

(In terms of being overwhelmed we’re past that, we’ve learned many things and the system is better. I can’t say we’re braver but we’re more accustomed to caring for COVID patients.)

“But just the same sino ba naman ang may gustong mag-alaga nito kaya patuloy ang aming pananawagan kasama ang ibang hospital na sana tuloy-tuloy na ang pagkontrol ng COVID nang mas masaya ang Pasko at Bagong Taon.”

(But just the same, we urge everyone to continue controlling the spread of COVID-19 so we can have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.)

The Philippines as of Sunday reported 449,400 cases of COVID-19, with 21,980 active infections.

SOURCE: https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/14/20/metro-manila-hospitals-brace-for-post-holiday-covid-19-surge