MANILA, Philippines — COVID-19 hospitalization rates in Metro Manila were plateauing, a health official said Tuesday, as the capital region entered the "new normal."
Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said the occupancy of intensive care units in Metro Manila was at around "19% to 20% [or higher].”
"Bumababa pero nagpa-plateau na ang mga hospital utilization rates dito sa Metro Manila," Vega told state broadcaster People’s Television.
(It’s declining. The hospital utilization rates in Metro Manila are plateauing.)
Latest data showed that 18.4% of 24,678 COVID-19 ward beds across the country were occupied. The occupancy rate of 3,138 ICU beds nationwide was at 25.7%.
Vega, who was assigned as treatment czar, also said that virus-related calls to the One Hospital Command Center were getting fewer.
"Ang ating One Hospital Command ay tumatanggap pa ring ng COVID calls pero karamihan ng mga tawag ngayon ay mga non-COVID calls saka coordination or referral ng ibang pasyente," he said.
(Our One Hospital Command still accepts COVID calls but majority of calls now are non-COVID, coordination and patient referrals.)
He added that the country’s hospital referral system is also providing telemedicine services.
Metro Manila and 38 other areas are under Alert Level 1 until March 15. Most COVID-19 restrictions are scrapped under the lowest alert level.
The Philippines has reported more than 3.6 million COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started, with 57,066 deaths.