PH private hospitals see rise in COVID-19 admissions

The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PHAPI) reported an increase in COVID-19 admissions in private hospitals over the past three days.

PHAPI president Dr. Jose de Grano noted that many of the current COVID-19 positive patients were admitted for other ailments, a phenomenon he described as 'coincidental Covid'.

He mentioned that a 50% utilization rate could be reached if 10 out of 20 allocated beds are occupied.

Admissions in private hospitals have been rising in the Calabarzon, Western Visayas, and Davao regions.

The Department of Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire confirmed the increase of cases in Aklan, where the positivity rate reached 59.7 percent for the week of May 8 to 14.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a 5% threshold for the positivity rate.

Vergeire stated that the rising hospital admissions should not cause panic, noting that the use rate for COVID-19 dedicated beds in Aklan was only 17% and ICU beds at 5%, both considered low risk.