The government’s COVID-19 National Task Force (NTF) adviser said that a stricter quarantine measure like Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) may be imposed if all hospitals will be full of COVID-19 patients.
In an interview in GMA News, NTF consultant Dr. Ted Herbosa said the high occupancy rate of health facilities may lead to more fatalities because they cannot immediately accommodate all patients.
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“Usually, we will go back to MECQ when hospitals and temporary treatment facilities are already fully occupied,” he said.
“When hospitals are full, more people may die because they cannot treat them. They are waiting in line for admission,” he added.
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The Philippines has recorded 5,000 new cases on Saturday, the highest since last August 2020. This brought the total tally to 616,611. (TDT)