The Bacolod City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) continues to track the utilization rate of hospital beds for COVID-19 patients in all seven hospitals in the city.

EOC said as of Tuesday, April 27, 76 percent of the COVID-19 beds in Bacolod were being used.

This occupancy rate is higher compared before; like in February when the utilization rate was as low as 20 to 30 percent.

“There are 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 in the sole government hospital in the city.

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 OHCC aims to facilitate the transmission of critical and medical information from hospitals to the EOC on a daily basis.

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.

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.

Meanwhile, OIC-City Health Officer, Dr. Edwin Miraflor, encourages all Bacolodnons to register in the COVID-19 vaccination program online or through their barangays./WDJ