Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 28)— Almost half of Metro Manila cities have reported over 70% hospital bed utilization, a Health official said Saturday as the country continues to see spikes in coronavirus infections.
“Dito po sa National Capital Region, ang utilization po ng ating mga ospital, mayroon tayo almost 50% of our cities na iyong bed utilization po nila ay nasa more than 70% na,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during the government’s Laging Handa briefing.
[Translation: Here in the National Capital Region, for hospital utilization, almost 50% of our cities have more than 70% bed utilization already.]
She added that intensive care unit utilization reached over 70% capacity in all NCR areas except for six cities.
Vergeire, however, did not name the concerned localities.
In light of this, Vergeire said the government will take measures to expand bed capacity — including setting up tents and modular hospitals in areas with high-risk occupancy.
Metro Manila will remain under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until Sept. 7, the Inter-Agency Task Force announced earlier in the day, noting there will be additional restrictions on select services.
Nationwide infections jumped to 1,935,700 on Saturday when the country again broke its record for the highest daily case tally at 19,441.
