East Avenue Medical Center COVID-19, ICU beds 80-90% full

The COVID-19 beds and ICU beds at the East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City are now 80% to 90% occupied, according to Joseph Morong’s report on “24 Oras."

“Ten percent to 11% na po ‘yung aming positivity rate. Ito po ay worrisome for the community, primarily because ibig sabihin mabilis ang pagkalat ng COVID-19 sa komunidad natin,” spokesperson Dr. Dennis Ordoña said.

Ordoña said some patients had to wait for one to two days at the emergency room before they could be given a regular room.

“Bagamat wala pang kwarto ay mabibigyan na ng nararapat na gamot at the emergency level,” he said.

Meanwhile, the emergency room of the Lung Center of the Philippines, a COVID-19 referral hospital, is now 125% occupied.

“In our worst case scenario in the months of March, April, May, we were 200% of capacity doon sa ER. We’ve been bracing ourselves since three weeks ago,” Lung Center spokesperson Dr. Norberto Francisco said.

Ninety out of 112 COVID-19 beds in the hospital are being utilized while 75% of the hospital’s intensive care unit is occupied.

“Ang bilis tumaas the past few days. Compared to last week. Two weeks ago ganyan. But the last few days nag-exponential, starting this week,” Francisco said.

Francisco expressed relief over the reimposition of the enhanced community quarantine over the National Capital Region.

However, he said hospital personnel are still expecting a rise in COVID-19 cases.

At the St. Luke's Medical Center, 68% of the ICU beds and 72% of the COVID-19 beds are occupied.

“Ang problema namin ang ICU because then we have only 12 ICU beds that can be available. Kaya hindi namin pinupuno ‘yung ICU because we know that 30% of our patients in the COVID ward will deteriorate and become ICU patients,” St. Luke's medical director Dr. Benjamin Campomanes said.

The One Hospital Command, which was set up for individuals needing COVID-19 hospitals, said the calls it received in July tripled compared to the June calls.—Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News