THE occupancy rate in temporary treatment and monitoring facilities (TTMFs) are also increasing as cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) continue to rise, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday, August 27, 2021.
"The utilization rate for mega TTMFs nationwide is at moderate risk at 63.5 percent," DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a virtual press briefing.
Out of the 2,222 total beds from 12 facilities, 1,411 are occupied.
Vergeire said some TTMFs have higher occupancy rates than the others.
"We have TTMFs that are with high risk utilization already. But there are other TTMFs that are not even half-filled," said Vergeire.
To note, TTMFs are being used as step-down facilities of hospitals. These are also used to isolate asymptomatic and mild cases.
As to hospital beds, data from the DOH showed that the country's intensive care unit (ICU) utilization rate is at high risk at 72.98 percent occupancy. Ten of 17 regions have high-risk ICU utilization rates.
These are the National Capital Region (73 percent), Calabarzon (82 percent), Central Luzon (86 percent), Cagayan Valley (87 percent), Northern Mindanao (79 percent), Cordillera Administrative Region (81 percent), Central Visayas (76 percent), Soccsksargen (70 percent), Caraga (70 percent) and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (80 percent).
For ward and isolation bed occupancy, three regions are also at high risk. These are Calabarzon (76 percent), Central Luzon (73 percent) and Cagayan Valley (73 percent).
Vergeire renewed DOH's call for both public and private hospitals to allocate more beds for Covid-19 patients.
"Now that cases are increasing, please do comply with the 30 percent for private and 50 percent for government hospitals so that we can accommodate more patients," said Vergeire.
She noted how 59 out of 443 government hospitals nationwide still have below 30 percent bed allocation for Covid-19 patients.
On the other, Vergeire said Covid beds in 220 out of 843 of private hospitals were still below 20 percent.
The DOH has mandated all private hospitals toallocate 20 to 30 percent of its beds for Covid-19 patients, while public hospitals are mandated to designate 30 to 50 percent as Covid-19 beds. (HDT / SunStar Philippines)