As COVID-19 continues to rise, the Department of Health warned that the country’s health system is now “close to being overwhelmed.”

The department announced that hospitals, particularly in Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Davao, Central Visayas, Ilocos, Western Visayas and Cordillera Administrative Region, are now at the “warning zone” level. Metro Manila, in particular, is at the “danger” level, with 82.2 percent of its 5,232 COVID-19 beds now occupied.

In light of this, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire reiterated the department’s call for hospitals to allocate more beds for COVID-19 patients. As of writing, public hospitals in Metro Manila have allocated 18.4 percent of their beds, while private hospitals allocated 16.9 percent of their beds.

[READ: As cases hit 70k, hospitals now required to allot 70% bed capacity for COVID-19 patients]

The DOH also called on more health workers, who can email their credentials to [email protected] or [email protected] or call 86517800 local 4207 for details. So far, the department has hired 6,050 health workers, most of whom are deployed in government-run hospitals.

Aside from urging hospitals to increase bed capacity for COVID-19 patients, Vergeire also asked the general public to follow minimum health standards and stay at home as much as possible.

“Nationally, our health system is close to being overwhelmed, our doctors, nurses and others who look after us in hospitals are growing tired. That is why we appeal to everyone to follow the minimum health standards and to just stay at home if there’s nothing important to do outside,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

Header photo by Marianne Bermudez for Philippine Daily Inquirer

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