MAYOR Oscar Moreno said Tuesday, June 1, that the high critical care utilization rate (CCUR) in Cagayan de Oro was one of the factors considered in placing the city under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
"Akong tan-aw mao gyud ni ang pinaka base sa IATF in deciding na ang atong quarantine level i-elevate sa MECQ kay ang atong hospital system is already getting overwhelmed," Moreno said.
The National Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) announced Monday night, May 31, that Cagayan de Oro will be among the areas in the country to be placed under MECQ.
Moreno said despite the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) raising its status to code red, the CCUR of Cagayan de Oro is still rising.
"Notwithstanding na sa NMMC they have raised their alert level already to code red, where 50 percent of their ICU, isolation bed ug mechanical ventilators and their personnel dedicated na sa Covid cases lang," Moreno said.
"In spite of that, bug-at pa gihapon kaayo ang atong CCUR. So kini nga sitwasyon does warrant a stricter regulatory environment kay delikado naman gyud kung mismo ang mga personahe nato sa NMMC ang maapektohan," he added.
While the private hospitals in the city are helping the NMMC by accepting admissions, Moreno said it is still not enough to address the growing CCUR.
As of May 31, there were a total of 356 Covid-19 patients admitted in Cagayan de Oro City's hospitals.