MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) has seen a drop in hospital admissions which could be correlated with the decline in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases over the past week.
The DOH mentioned that the intensive care unit (ICU) utilization rate nationwide is 30 percent as of February 22 which is lower than the 51 percent as of January 22.
Currently, 29 percent of 3,800 ICU beds, 25 percent of 20,500 isolation beds, 18 percent of 13,900 ward beds, and 16 percent of 3,000 ventilators are used by patients with Covid-19 nationwide.
In the National Capital Region, 25 percent of 1,300 ICU beds, 24 percent of 4,600 isolation beds, 25 percent of 3,600 ward beds, and 17 percent of 1,000 ventilators dedicated to patients with Covid-19 are in use.
According to the DOH, the delay in the submission of reports by a few laboratories has no substantial impact on the number of new cases reported daily.
“Currently, while antigen test results are not yet included in our topline numbers, LGUs are required to submit their line list which is then cleared and analyzed along with RT-PCR results received from laboratories,” it added.
Under DOH Department Memorandum No. 2022-0033, it mandates the reporting of results of self-administered antigen test consistent with the relevant provisions of Republic Act No. 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act, and Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012, and Section V.H. of Administrative Order No. 2021-0043.
In regards of the most recent genome sequencing findings, the DOH stated that the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) remains the most common lineage in the country, accounting for 34.80 percent of all samples sequenced thus far. At 19.6 percent, the Omicron variant comes second.
The DOH stressed that the results of whole genome sequencing do not imply that the Omicron variant is already endemic in the country.
“We have metrics to follow to declare a disease as endemic. Corollary, measles has become endemic as the government realized its aim to lower case numbers rather than implausibly eliminating a disease that is constantly present through a stage of disease control approach,” it said.
