MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila hospitals can handle a surge in COVID-19 cases that may occur after the holiday season, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said on Wednesday. Speaking at a news briefing, Vega said the Department of Health (DOH) was building up hospital capacity to meet a possible postholiday surge in COVID-19 cases. He said the DOH had increased capacity for severe and critical COVID-19 cases in public and private hospitals throughout the country. Vega said the DOH boosted severe and critical capacity in public hospitals in Metro Manila and across the country by 50 to 100 percent with funding from the Department of Budget and Management. Currently, he said, use of space in private hospitals in Metro Manila was nearly 18 percent, while in public hospitals the use rate was 30 to 33 percent.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 30, 2020 21:10 UTC