Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 3) — The number of calls received by the One Hospital Command Center (OHCC), which refers COVID-19 cases to treatment facilities, jumped by 200% in August, an official said.
Dr. Marylaine Padlan, medical officer of OHCC, said they were registering 100 to 200 calls per day in July, but the number ballooned to 400 to 500 last month.
“Kumpara noong July, di hamak na mas mataas ang tawag na natatanggap namin [ngayon],” she said.
[Translation: Compared to July, the number of calls we are receiving (now) is much higher.]
Dr. Padlan noted around 20% of the calls come from Metro Manila—the epicenter of the local coronavirus outbreak.
The OHCC is also witnessing a high volume of calls from Calabarzon and Region 3, she added.
Dr. Padlan said they are working with local government units to help monitor the condition of patients.
“We monitor regularly ang (the) patient, we offer teleconsultation habang naghahanap ng ospital (while we’re looking for a hospital),” she said.
On Friday, the country reached a new record for its second-highest number of COVID-19 cases reported in a day with 20,310 new infections.
