Two more private hospitals in Metro Manila admitted that they can no longer admit COVID-19 positive patients as they have already reached the full capacity in terms of providing services.

The Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center in Sta. Cruz, Manila said that it cannot admit people infected with the virus and those considered persons under investigation or PUIs since its designated wards for COVID-19 are “full” and its team of healthcare workers are already “depleted.”

The hospital also admitted that it is facing shortage in terms of test kits and personal protective equipment (PPE) suits to cover healthcare workers assigned to COVID-19 patients.

“With a heavy heart, the CGHMC Administration has decided not to accept any more PUIs/COVID positive patients. They are encouraged to go to covid designated hospitals or other facilities,” part of their statement read.

The hospital assured the public that it will lift the notice “anytime” once they have assessed that it is fully capable of meeting the demands of their healthcare concerns.

It added that its emergency room will continuously accommodate patients “with other emergency medical concerns” and urged the public to practice stringent preventive measures to prevent COVID-19 infection.

De Los Santos Medical Center in E. Rodriguez Sr. Boulevard, Quezon City also informed the public that it can no longer accommodate patients positive with COVID-19 and those considered as PUIs.

The hospital’s management added that its intensive care units and isolation rooms are currently “at full capacity” and cited its insufficient supply of PPE suits and other medical supplies needed for handling PUIs and COVID-19 positive patients.

It also admitted that some of its frontliners are already “unable to go home to their families” because of their round-the-clock duties.

“It is for this reason that we will be unable to admit additional COVID-19 related cases. More PUI patients will mean requiring more supplies and manpower, which we unfortunately do not have at present,” the De Los Santos Medical Center management said.

It added that its emergency room is still available 24/7 for any medical concerns.

ADVISORY: We hope for your understanding as we will be unable to accommodate PUI admissions at the moment. Posted by De Los Santos Medical Center on Tuesday, March 24, 2020

‘Overstretched’

Early this week, three private hospitals have already issued advisories saying they can no longer admit more COVID-19 positive patients in their facilities.

The Medical City in Pasig City, the Makati Medical Center in Makati City and two branches of St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City and Taguig City released their own statements on their decision to stop admitting COVID-19 patients due to their “overstretched” healthcare workers and lack of sufficient facilities and PPE suits to handle them, among others.

The advisories came after several private hospitals appealed to the national government and the Department of Health to designate specific hospitals that will exclusively handle COVID-19 patients as the cases continue to rise.

“Our collective call to action is to centralize all efforts and resources into ONE or TWO COVID-19 hospitals, adequately equipped and invested upon by the government, designated to receive, screen and treat PUIs and COVID-19 positive patients when the allowable number of cases per hospital, private and public, is exceeded,” their statement said.

DOH recently designated the Philippine General Hospital, the Lung Center of the Philippines and the Dr. Jose M. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital to exclusively serve COVID-19 patients.

Last Saturday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the hospitals will be ready in a week’s time.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the Philippines recorded 636 cases of COVID-19 and 38 deaths. The DOH also reported additional six recoveries increasing the total number of recovered patients to 26.