THE combined number of daily Covid-19 admissions in all of Cebu’s private hospitals has continued to decline as the daily number of recovered patients being discharged from Cebu private hospitals is continuing to exceed admissions since the past weeks.
This was reported by Cabinet Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr., National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief implementer, to President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night, Sept. 20, 2021.
Galvez said the “good news” in the current Covid-19 situation of Cebu came from the continued decline in the combined capacity utilization rate of all Cebu’s private hospitals to 40.1 percent as of Sept. 18.
A utilization rate within 60 percent is considered in the safe zone.
Most private hospitals in the island are located in Cebu City—Chong Hua Hospital near Fuente Osmeña, Cebu Doctors’ University Hospital, Southwestern University Hospital, Perpetual Succour Hospital, St. Vincent Hospital and ACE Medical Center.
He said this improvement in Cebu’s situation came after Cebu followed the protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Galvez said the barangay response was executed very well, the Department of the Interior and Local Government did well and the local government units followed the protocols set by the IATF.
The former military general then told the President that if the cases in Cebu decreased, the cases in Metro Manila could also decrease. He did not elaborate.
Galvez said, as of Sept. 18, there were only 13 regular Covid-19 emergency room (ER) patients remaining, spread in all 16 private hospitals in Cebu.
Sought for comment, Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, Department of Health 7 chief pathologist, said the containment measures, including all the protocols that Cebu set in place during the first and second waves of Covid cases, are still effective with the recent Delta variant-driven surge.
She mentioned the revisions and additional provisions made like the Cebu City’s “Oplan Puyo” or the stay-at-home rule, liquor ban, enhancement of temporary treatment and monitoring facilities, the “unwavering” commitment of Cebu’s medical frontliners, and the collaboration between public and private sectors.
“We thank the National Government for recognizing the efforts of Cebu. Worth mentioning is the fact that Cebu can be a benchmark on how surges of cases can be successfully handled,” Loreche said.
In Cebu City, all public hospitals are also in the safe zone, Emergency Operations Center deputy chief implementer Councilor Joel Garganera said on Tuesday, Sept. 21.
Garganera said 216 (52 percent) of the 412 beds dedicated as Covid-19 beds are vacant. (WBS)