First-day funk: Oro public hospitals are now full

By Froilan Gallardo
Special Correspondent

GOVERNMENT officials here will ease the strict quarantine measures starting today even as local hospitals grapple with a surge of new Covid-19 cases.

President Rodrigo Duterte downgraded the quarantine status for Cagayan de Oro to the more relaxed moderate enhanced community quarantine starting August 16 to 30 ending 45 days of strict quarantine measures.

Mayor Oscar Moreno welcomed the downgrading of quarantine measures but warned it could plunge the city into a newer and higher surge of Covid-19 cases.

“I hope this will not be a license for the Cagayan de Oro residents to go out and party. The virus is still out there,” Moreno said.

A Department of Health medical briefer said 245 new Covid-19 infections and seven deaths were recorded in Cagayan de Oro as of August 15.

Health officials said local hospitals especially the Northern Mindanao Regional Center (NMMC), the main government referral center for Covid-19 cases in northern Mindanao are already filled to the capacity.

DOH-10 assistant director Dr. David Mendoza said hospitals in Cagayan de Oro especially are still “on red alert” with an overcapacity of Covid-19 patients.

“Covid-19 cases are on the rise in neighboring provinces of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental and most of their serious cases are sent here straining the hospitals here,” Mendoza said during a press briefing.

The same DOH briefer on August 15 said 242 Covid-19 cases were reported in Bukidnon while 72 cases were detected in Misamis Oriental.

NMMC spokesperson Dr. Bernard Julius Rocha said they have already placed some of the patients in the emergency room area after its six floors were filled with serious cases of Covid-19 patients.

“If your patient with Covid-19 will come here at NMMC, we can not guarantee that a room or a bed will be available,” Rocha said.

Regional community newspaper Mindanao Gold Star Daily has reported that private hospitals in Cagayan de Oro are also in full bed capacity.

It reported that some hospitals have posted signs “No more bed Vacancies” on their gates.