FULL CAPACITY. The Baguio General Hospital and Medical Hospital has overshot its 600-bed capacity with 641 patients of different illnesses currently confined, Dr. Thea Cajulao, infectious disease specialist at the hospital, said during a press conference on Wednesday (Aug. 3, 2022). She cited an increase in Covid-19 cases aside from dengue cases and other illnesses that patients complain about, requiring their admission to the hospital. (PNA file photo)
BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) has exceeded its patient occupancy after a spike in cases of dengue and coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
"Our bed capacity is 600 and we have 641 patients with different illnesses who are confined," Dr. Thea Pamela Cajulao, infectious disease specialist at the hospital, said at a press conference on Wednesday as she urged the public to stay healthy to avoid getting hospitalized and congesting health facilities further.
She said the admission of patients who have moderate Covid-19 cases has increased from only nine in June to 85 cases in July.
Cajulao said their employees who have been infected with Covid-19 have also increased, with 50 of them still being active cases.
The entire fourth floor of the Juan Flavier Building of BGHMC, she said, is already being used for Covid-19.
Records show that as of August 2, Baguio City had 245 active Covid-19 cases while the whole region has 759 active cases – 525 with mild symptoms, 20 moderate cases, and four severe cases.
Cajulao also noted an uptrend in dengue cases with 80 patients confined at the BGHMC.
Of the number, 20 are pediatric patients while 60 are adults.
She said the admission of patients who have moderate Covid-19 cases has increased from only nine in June to 85 cases in July.
Cajulao said their employees who have been infected with Covid-19 have also increased, with 50 of them still being active cases.
The entire fourth floor of the Juan Flavier Building of BGHMC, she said, is already being used for Covid-19.
Records show that as of August 2, Baguio City had 245 active Covid-19 cases while the whole region has 759 active cases – 525 with mild symptoms, 20 moderate cases, and four severe cases.
Cajulao also noted an uptrend in dengue cases with 80 patients confined at the BGHMC.
Of the number, 20 are pediatric patients while 60 are adults.
She said the hospital also receives other patients who complain of various illnesses.
The BGHMC is the identified apex referral hospital catering to patients in Baguio City and Cordillera provinces, as well as patients from the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon regions.
The DOH-run hospital is also the biggest tertiary hospital north of Metro Manila and has several specialty services that allow patients to no longer go to the metropolis to get medical attention.
Dr. Rio Magpantay, DOH-Cordillera director, in the same press conference, said government hospitals maintain the “accordion system” of response.
“We adjust to the situation and retrofit the system if only to accommodate all the patients who need to be confined for different illnesses,” he said. (PNA)
The BGHMC is the identified apex referral hospital catering to patients in Baguio City and Cordillera provinces, as well as patients from the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon regions.
The DOH-run hospital is also the biggest tertiary hospital north of Metro Manila and has several specialty services that allow patients to no longer go to the metropolis to get medical attention.
Dr. Rio Magpantay, DOH-Cordillera director, in the same press conference, said government hospitals maintain the “accordion system” of response.
“We adjust to the situation and retrofit the system if only to accommodate all the patients who need to be confined for different illnesses,” he said. (PNA)
