The critical care utilization rate of Baguio is now in the warning zone as the city continued to log in more fresh cases of Covid-19 infection in the past week.
City Health Officer Rowena Galpo reported the city had a 33.33 percent critical care utilization rate as of morning of Sept. 24, which she said is already in the warning zone.
The Baguio City Community Isolation Unit (BCCIU) at the former Sto. Niño Hospital currently has 91 percent occupancy with 82 admitted cases. The facility has a 90-bed capacity.
The Roxas Hall of the Teachers’ Camp assigned as a quarantine facility for overseas Filipino workers has a remaining 45 percent capacity or 49 out of 90 beds occupied, both as of morning of Sept. 24.
Galpo said the quarantine area at Teachers’ Camp has moved to its Hernandez Hall on Sept. 24 due to the increasing number of admission last week.
However at 4 p.m. of Sept. 24, the city recorded additional 52 new cases, bringing its total number of laboratory confirmed cases to 681 – 265 of which are active cases.
In a span of five days from Sept. 20 to 24, the city logged 160 new cases with clustering of cases recorded inSto. Niño-Slaughter barangay (abattoir), Ferdinand/Happy Homes-Campo Sioco, and Lourdes Subdivision; Bakakeng Central; City Camp Central; and in a call center and a government agency.
City Administrator Bonifacio dela Peña has assured the city has more than enough isolation units.
He said the expansion of the BCCIU is ongoing to make it into a maximum of 400 beds and they are hoping to complete it by October.
Dela Peña said they have arranged with its contractor to possibly turn over to the city gradually or as they finish portions of facility for ready use when needed.
He added a building at the Teachers’ Camp is also assigned as an isolation facility.
Galpo said the increase in the number of cases was expected since as early as July it was projected the peak of cases would be towards the third week or end of September.
“We expected and prepared ourselves for this. All systems are in place and we are ready with the isolation facilities and critical care units,” she said. – Hanna C. Lacsamana
May 11, 2024
