District hospitals in the city of Manila have already declared “Code White” due to the swell in the number of COVID-19 cases. Two of the six district hospitals remain closed.
According to Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, six city hospitals in the city are already in ‘Code White.’ This alert system means that hospitals are preparing for the expected increase in patients.
Staff and personnel are being prepared and medicines and equipment in case of need.
Today, the city’s new policy will move mild COVID-19 cases from the hospital to a quarantine facility.
According to the mayor, patients should not be surprised if they are transferred to a quarantine facility if their symptoms are mild. However, he said moderate to severe cases of COVID-19 are now a priority in hospitals.
Two more hospitals are closed to new patients. It was the first day of the year when the Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center and the Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital were temporarily closed due to the rising number of COVID cases.
According to Dr. Merle Sacdalan-Faustino of Abad Santos hospital, they will decongest the Covid OB floor and transfer mothers with confirmed or suspected COVID cases with mild symptoms to a quarantine facility.
Manila district hospitals under Code White
According to the doctor, more and more medical staff are getting sick. As a result, most of them are assigned to the triage, emergency room, and COVID ward.
Massive testing is already underway on all staff, and contract tracing and sanitation are ongoing.
The Department of Health said the hospital would open immediately. Still, according to the leadership of Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital, they will receive the patient again within this week.
On December 26, there were only 91 active cases in the city of Manila or three weeks straight with less than 100. But after a week from 91, it climbed to 544 active cases this Sunday.
Meanwhile, mayors in Metro Manila have agreed to implement a stay-at-home policy for unvaccinated persons amid the continuous increase of COVID-19 infections in the capital region.
The mayors agreed that those who remain unvaccinated or have not completed their full dose should have limited movement. The order would be effective once the mayors sign the resolution.
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