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Region 8 hospitals get ready to handle surge in Covid-19 cases

By Sarwell Meniano

January 24, 2022, 11:18 am

<p>Department of Health regional office in Palo, Leyte <em>(File photo)</em></p>

Department of Health regional office in Palo, Leyte (File photo)

TACLOBAN CITY – With the spike of new Covid-19 cases in Eastern Visayas, the Department of Health (DOH) has asked hospitals in the region to check their capability to treat patients and increase their beds intended for Covid-19 infected patients.

DOH Regional Director Exuperia Sabalberino said on Monday the health facilities should mitigate the rising cases of Covid-19 and the threat of Omicron variant in the region.

“With the current data on increasing cases of Covid-19 in the country and the reported increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant, the DOH urges all hospitals to revisit and adapt their existing Surge Capacity Plans,” Sabalberino said in an advisory.

Health facilities are also advised to increase their Covid-19 dedicated beds based on the updated alert levels as reported by the DOH regional office in preparation for the spike of cases in the region.

Hospitals in the region's six provinces have 1,557 beds meant for Covid-19 patients with severe symptoms. As of Monday, 931 beds are occupied, based on DOH records.

The region has a hospital beds utilization rate of 59.79 percent, classified as medium risk. Of six provinces and two cities, Tacloban City, Ormoc City, and Biliran province have high hospital beds utilization rate ranging from 78 percent to 83 percent, categorized as high risk.

The DOH reported 254 confirmed new Covid-19 cases on Monday, lower than the 420 cases found through testing on Sunday, and 642 cases noted on Saturday. Current positivity rate is still high at 53 percent.

It was on January 8 when the region first recorded over 100 new cases after more than two months of case drop, according to the health department.

Since the pandemic broke out, the region has recorded 58,523 cases, including 53,884 recoveries, and 635 deaths. There are still 4,004 active Covid-19 cases as of January 24. (PNA)

 

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