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The already stretched healthcare system in the Philippines is under greater pressure as the country reports the second largest daily increase in COVID-19 infections since the pandemic, which provides more evidence of how toxic Delta variants might be spread.
As of Saturday, hundreds of hospitals in the country were operating at near full capacity again, and some facilities reported that they had run out of intensive care unit beds for COVID-19 patients, exhausting medical staff who were forced to work longer hours.
Although Metro Manila has now implemented a lockdown, as the number of cases continues to increase, some communities are still subject to stricter quarantine orders on Saturday.
“Usually the ratio of nurses to patients in the ward is one to five, but we can handle up to 12 patients,” said Maria Caridad delos Reyes, head nurse at the General Hospital of the Philippines. Her eight-hour shift is now sometimes extended to 16 hours.
Delos Reyes told Reuters on Friday: “We should have a break, but because we are very busy, we missed a meal, especially now that we are taking care of patients with moderate to severe COVID-19.”
The Philippine Lung Center in Metro Manila also reported that they are using container trucks placed in the hospital parking lot to open treatment stations to accommodate more COVID-19 patients.
Another hospital in nearby Bulacan province uses its lobby as a triage area because their rooms are full.
More children hospitalized
The Ministry of Health recorded 13,177 new coronavirus infections on Friday, which is the highest record since the record daily of 15,310 on April 2, bringing the total number of cases to 1.71 million, the second in Southeast Asia after Indonesia. High cases.
According to reports, more and more children are getting sick from the virus.
According to a report from the Daily Inquirer of the Philippines on Saturday, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, the government stated that 318 of the COVID-19 cases recorded between August 1 and August 7 were children aged 17 and under.
The Manila Capital Region is composed of 16 cities with a population of 13 million. Since August 6th, the strict lockdown has been restored to curb the spread of the delta, while the government is trying to speed up vaccination.
Maria Rosario Vergeire, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, said at a media briefing that it would take two to three weeks to feel the effects of the lockdown. She urged the public to get vaccinated and follow the health procedures.
Look: As of the date of onset, the number of weekly COVID-19 cases in the Philippines has exceeded the previous peak 📈
(Chart from DOH) pic.twitter.com/30qhYzTAsF
— Edson C. Guido (@EdsonCGuido) August 13, 2021
There are reports that the blockade may be extended, and it is currently only scheduled until August 20.
Approximately 11% of the country’s 110 million people have received full immunization. Millions of people are still very susceptible to COVID-19, which has caused more than 29,800 deaths in this Southeast Asian country.
According to the Herd Immunity PH vaccine tracker, the government may take at least 7 months or until March 2022 to achieve its goal of immunizing at least 70% of the country’s adult population to achieve herd immunity-a few days later than the target moon.
At a drive-through vaccination site in Manila, Rudy Santos, a 62-year-old rickshaw driver, expressed his gratitude for the vaccination.
“I hope this will help our lives. We have been unable to move freely for a long time, so this vaccination is a blessing,” Santos said.
According to the government’s vaccination working group, by August 20, when the two-week lockdown period ends, nearly 50% of the residents of Metro Manila will be fully vaccinated.
Vaccination implementer Vince Dison told national television that the target will be reached in the next few days.
He also said that the government has reached or exceeded the country’s 500,000 vaccinations per day.
The Philippines also announced on Friday that it would extend the ban on passengers from India and nine other countries until the end of August in an attempt to curb Delta Air Lines.
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