One Hospital Command calls doubled amid rise in COVID-19 cases —DOH exec

The calls to the country's COVID-19 referral hotline had doubled since the last days of December as the Philippines' fresh cases continue to rise, an official of the Department of Health said Sunday.

DOH Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega, who is also the treatment czar, said calls at the One Hospital Command Center (OHCC) went up from 100 to 200 [daily].

"Noong peak of December, nagkaroon ng calls ang One Hospital, mga 80 to 100 [calls.] Ngayon lately sa last few days ng December, tumaas na po ito. Umaabot ng 150 to 200 calls," he said over Super Radyo dzBB.

(During the peak of December maybe the OHCC received 90 to 100 calls. Now it is up to 200 from 150 calls.)

After the detection of the Omicron coronavirus variant, Vega said they prepared for the reopening of quarantine centers because cases in the country were starting to go up.

"Talagang inaano ang local government units, yung TTMF [temporary treatment and monitoring facilities]... Bubuksan ulit yan lalo na ang number of cases ngayon tumataas pa," Vega said.

(We are asking government units to reopen their TTMF because cases are increasing.)

In November 2021, the number of new infections as well as active tally in the Philippines was on a downward trend. During this time, some local government units, including Pasig City, closed their quarantine centers as COVID-19 infections were becoming fewer and fewer.

As of January 1, 2022, the Philippines posted 3,617 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total tally to 2,847,486. Of the total caseload, 51,545 deaths, and 2,778,567 recoveries.

So far, the Philippines has detected 10 infections caused by the Omicron variant, including three local cases. Further, the DOH said there could be a high possibility that infections are increasing.

On the other hand, Vega reported that some rural health units and health centers in Siargao and Dinagat Islands were destroyed by the catastrophic rains of Typhoon Odette.

He sought for an immediate repair for hospitals hit by Odette, adding that DOH already deployed additional personnel to augment health services there.

"Kailangan maitayo na natin ulit ang infrastructure ng health centers at saka rural hospitals dahil alam natin na nasira ang bagyo... Kaya nagpadala ng deployed personnel doon sa Caraga at Dinagat islands," he said.

(We need to put up the infrastructure again in health centers and rural hospitals that were destroyed by the typhoon. We also deployed personnel there in Caraga, especially in Dinagat.) —LBG, GMA News