There was a 67.31 percent hospital bed occupancy for COVID-19 patients in all seven hospitals in Bacolod City on Thursday, April 29, the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) reported Friday.
The EOC, which continues to track the utilization rate of hospital beds for COVID-19 patients in the seven hospitals, said 67.31 percent is much higher than in previous months.
In February, the utilization rate in the seven hospitals was as low as 20 to 30 percent, a press release from the EOC said.
“There is a total of 136 patients admitted in seven hospitals in Bacolod City, 95 [of them] or 68 percent are residents of Bacolod City. Consequently, the remaining 32 percent are coming from the municipalities and cities of Negros Occidental,” the EOC added in its report.
This leaves 43 available beds for COVID-19 patients, 28 of which are in the six private hospitals and the remaining 15 beds at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, the EOC reported.
The bed utilization data was gathered through the One Hospital Command Center (OHCC) of the EOC.
The OHCC was established through the leadership of EOC Task Force head Mayor Evelio Leonardia to ensure available hospital beds for those individuals with severe COVID-19 symptoms seeking hospital care and treatment, the press release said.
The OHCC aims to facilitate the transmission of critical and medical information from hospitals to the EOC on a daily basis, it said.
Such data are then used to manage the healthcare capacity of the locality.
It proves helpful in decongesting hospitals and providing available beds to better accommodate moderate to critical COVID-19 patients, the press release said.
EOC executive director and City Administrator Em Ang reminded all Bacolodnons to follow the minimum health protocols, like the wearing of face masks and face shields, and observing social distancing.
Ang said that these simple practices could mitigate the transmission of COVID-19.
People must avoid “super-spreader” events like mass gatherings to lessen “person-to-person” transmission, she said.
OIC-City Health Officer Dr. Edwin Miraflor is encouraging all Bacolodnons to register in the COVID-19 vaccination program online or through their barangays.*