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Private hospitals should start increasing beds for COVID-19 patients to prepare for a possible surge in coronavirus cases after the holidays, the Department of Health (DOH) warned on Wednesday, December 9.

In a statement, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the country’s health system “should also ensure its continued preparation for a possible post-holiday surge.”

Last July, the DOH revised its order mandating public hospitals to set aside at least 30% of its facilities for COVID-19 patients. In private hospitals, the agency mandated at least 20% of their beds to be set aside. 

Duque said as of December 7, the DOH recorded a “nationwide average of 30% hospital bed allocation in public hospitals and 13% for private.” It was only in Caraga where private hospitals met the minimum number of beds to be allocated in private hospitals, he added. 

Why it matters

In the event the country will see a spike in infections during the holiday season, health systems in communities will also need to respond to increased hospitalizations. 

This is what happened in July, when a surge in cases flooded hospitals across Metro Manila, prompting health experts to call for the tightening of quarantine restrictions. At the time, critical care facilities in Metro Manila breached the 70% critical “danger” threshold established by the DOH. 

The Octa research group studying the coronavirus pandemic in the country likewise noted a spike in cases in the provinces as Christmas approaches. 

In its latest report published on Wednesday, the group said these included Benguet, Isabela, Bataan, Leyte, Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, and Cagayan, where increases in new cases were observed from December 1 to 7.

In a virtual press briefing on Wednesday morning, Duque said the spike in cases in the provinces may be attributed to “increased mobility of people because of the holiday season.”

“This is a warning to all of us that if we let our guard down, you’re going to really see what we’ve been saying all along [about] the surge in the number of cases,” he said.

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The DOH has so far issued guidelines on safety protocols for the holiday season as it urged the public the avoid holding large gatherings and taking non-essential trips. 

“Everyone should remain vigilant as the threat of the pandemic is still here,” Duque earlier said. – Rappler.com