Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. on Thursday, Jan. 20, said hospitals should be dedicated to severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients to avoid overwhelming the province’s health care system.
In his regular press conference, the governor said that the province has been expecting a surge in cases since last year and it is currently happening.
“We are at it. This is the surge that we have been adjusting since December,” he said.
However, with the manifestation of the cases, which is increasing fast, then the province needs to adjust, strategize and rationalize the use of hospitals.
“It would be better if we dedicate hospitals to our severe cases. We cannot continue to put patients who are suffering from mild flu symptoms,” the governor added.
Defensor said health authorities also have to elevate patients’ confidence in the home care system as most of the cases are asymptomatic.
“There have to be better home quarantine measures to avoid elderly and those with comorbidities from getting infected,” he added.
Defensor said that if the virus will infect other sectors, especially if they are vaccinated then they will only manifest mild flu and cold symptoms.
As of Jan.16, as per the Department of Health report, some 1,102,536 have received their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine while 923, 670 are fully vaccinated out of the target eligible population of 1,448, 757.
“That’s how we deal (with) the situation; we are not underestimating the problem. We are just trying to view it that way so that our measures will be rationalized and focused,” the governor said.
Data from the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) showed that as of Jan. 19, the province has 1, 867 active Covid-19 cases, 33, 755 recoveries, and 1,096 deaths.PNA
