Coronavirus upswing controllable – DOH

Strictly follow minimum health standards to avoid ECQ – Vergeire

The Department of Health (DOH) has acknowledged the upward trend in the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases being reported daily, but assured that the spike remains controllable.

“We have been receiving reports na meron talagang pagtaas ng numero sa mga pasyente sa ating mga ospital for COVID-19 cases (that there is an increase in the number of patients in our hospitals for COVID-19 cases),” said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire during a public press briefing on Saturday, March 6.

“Pinapatawag namin ang mga heads ng hospital and regional directors para makita natin yung mga causes and 'yung ating

mga kailangan gawin (We will be having a meeting with the heads of various hospitals and regional directors so we can determine the causes and what we need to do),” she added.

Aside from the hospitals’ heads, the DOH will also have meetings with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and with the Metro Manila mayors, said Vergeire.

Last Wednesday, March 3, Dr. Althea de Guzman, medical specialist at the DOH Epidemiology Bureau, bared that the DOH observed an increasing trend of cases in Metro Manila, Central Visayas, and Cordillera Administrative Region.

Currently, the healthcare utilization rate for COVID-19 cases is still below 50 percent, said the DOH spokesperson.

“Nothing is uncontrollable at this point. We are trying to manage it. Actually nakaganda po yung naghanda talaga tayo simula nung November na pinataas natin yung mga number of beds sa hospitals, prinepare natin yung mga hospital na sila ay magkaroon ng adequate capacity (Nothing is uncontrollable at this point. We are trying to manage it. Actually, we have really prepared since November – we have increased the number of beds in hospitals, we are preparing the hospitals so that they will have adequate capacity),” said Vergeire.

“Kung makikita niyo since November, ang hospital capacity, hindi po tayo tumataas sa 50 percent and that is going to work for us right now – that we can accommodate more patients kung sakali (If you can observe since November, the hospital capacity – we have not increased to 50 percent and that is going to work for us right now – that we can accommodate more patients just in case),” she added.