Metro hospitals reach ‘full capacity’ for COVID patients

July 14 ------ Several private hospitals in Metro Manila have declared “full capacity” and won’t be able to accept coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients. St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) said its COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) beds in its Quezon City and Global City branches are already filled. “In this regard, we request the public to consider bringing critically ill COVID-19 suspects to alternative hospitals so they will receive immediate and utmost care,” SLMC said in a statement Monday night. “We will keep everyone updated once we reopen admission for COVID-19 ICU beds,” it added.

Admissions and treatment of non-COVID cases, including outpatient procedures, on the other hand, will still be accommodated in both branches of SLMC. Makati Medical Center (MMC) has also reached full capacity in terms of its bed utilization and manpower. MMC said all its COVID-19 zones — including its ICU, regular wards, and emergency room — are already full. “MMCH has reached its threshold in its capacity to respond to more COVID-19 patients. We will exert every effort to find you another healthcare facility of your choice [or ours],” MMC Medical Director Saturnino Javier said in a statement.

“As we manage the overflow of COVID-19 patients, we assure our admitted non-COVID patients that their safety and well-being remain a priority as well,” Javier added. The Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Santa Mesa, Manila also said its designated COVID-19 ward has reached full capacity as of July 13. “We discourage COVID-19 patients waiting for admission in the hospital premises to avoid further exposure and contamination,” the OLH management said in a statement. Outpatient services and admission of non-COVID-19 patients will be accepted in OLH.

The government-owned National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) in Quezon City said it has also reached the “danger zone” in the utilization of its “designated bed capacity for COVID-19 patients as of July 13.” The NKTI has called on the public to refer their “critically ill, probable, or suspected COVID-19 patients” to other health care facilities as it noted a “significant” increase in the number of its COVID-affected frontliners in the last two weeks. The NKTI said its emergency room staff will continue to “acutely manage only” renal emergency cases and post kidney transplant patients.

Earlier, the Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center also announced that it will no longer accept COVID-19 patients.

Source: mb.com.ph