Overloaded: Some major Metro Manila hospitals unable to receive more COVID-19 patients

Arianne Merez, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/03/24/20200323-covid19-luzonlockdown-st-lukes-qc-jc-9335.jpg"/><figcaption>Health workers walk outside the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City on March 23, 2020.<em> Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA- At least 4 major private hospitals in Metro Manila announced they were no longer ready to receive more coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients due to overcapacity, as medical centers became overwhelmed with the pandemic.</p><p>St. Luke’s Medical Center in the cities of Quezon and Taguig, Makati Medical Center, and The Medical City in Pasig City all said they are unable to attend to more COVID-19 cases with several patients still under their care as of Tuesday.</p><p>St. Luke’s Medical Center said it could no longer accept coronavirus patients for confinement in its Quezon City and Taguig City hospitals but would still provide outpatient COVID-19 testing for qualified patients. Its emergency rooms meanwhile will continue to accommodate patients for outpatient medical services.</p><p>The 2 St. Luke’s hospitals are currently treating 48 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 and 139 patients under investigation. Of its health frontliners, 592 are already under quarantine, its management said in a statement.</p><p>“Both hospitals have already exceeded maximum capacity and admitting more COVID-19 patients will seriously impact our ability to deliver the critical level of care and attention patients need at this time,” it said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/24/20/st-lukes-says-unable-to-accept-more-covid-19-patients-for-confinement">St. Luke’s says unable to accept more COVID-19 patients for confinement</a></li></ul><p>Makati Medical Center in a statement Tuesday meanwhile said it has reached its “threshold in its capability to respond to more COVID-19 cases.”</p><p>“As such, we can no longer extend the same degree of care and attention for any additional admission for COVID-19 cases,” its medical director Dr. Saturnino Javier said in a statement.</p><p>The premier Makati hospital however noted that its emergency department “will try” to give preliminary evaluation and treatment to patients but “cannot guarantee a room” for admission.</p><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/IamMakatiMed/photos/a.2264879730259801/2876554715758963/?type=3&amp;theater" data-width="auto"> </div><p>At present, there close to 70 patients admitted in the Makati Medical Center including those who are COVID-19 positive, it said. The patients, 15 percent of whom are in the intensive care unit, include some of the hospital’s health frontliners.</p><p>The Medical City on Monday meanwhile urged incoming patients to seek medical attention elsewhere, citing overcapacity. </p><p>The Pasig City-based medical facility said it has 64 patients under investigations and 18 COVID-19 positive cases admitted in its ward and intensive care unit as of Monday. Of its health frontliners, 137 meanwhile are in quarantine after being exposed to coronavirus patients.</p><p>&quot;We do not wish at all to turn you away, but the reality is that we can no longer provide your loved-ones the care that they need,&quot; it said. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/23/20/the-medical-city-urges-patients-to-look-for-other-hospitals-as-covid-19-overwhelms-facility">The Medical City urges patients to &#x27;look for other hospitals&#x27; as COVID-19 overwhelms facility</a></li></ul><p>The Department of Health had said that it was preparing 3 state hospitals- the Philippine General Hospital in Manila, the Jose M. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Caloocan City, and the Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City- to serve as referral centers for COVID-19 patients following an appeal from the private sector.</p><p>As of Tuesday, Philippines&#x27; COVID-19 cases rose to 552, with the Department of Health reporting an additional 90 new cases, a new daily high, as Luzon remained on lockdown in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus. </p>

<p>At least 4 major private hospitals in Metro Manila announced they were no longer ready to receive more coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients due to overcapacity, as medical centers became overwhelmed with the pandemic.</p>

At least 4 major private hospitals in Metro Manila announced they were no longer ready to receive more coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients due to overcapacity, as medical centers became overwhelmed with the pandemic.

Overloaded: Some major Metro Manila hospitals unable to receive more COVID-19 patients | ABS-CBN

Halalan 2025

Entertainment

News

Metro.Style

Sports

More

Traffic

News

Overloaded: Some major Metro Manila hospitals unable to receive more COVID-19 patients

Overloaded: Some major Metro Manila hospitals unable to receive more COVID-19 patients

Arianne Merez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 24, 2020 06:47 PM PHT

|

Updated Mar 24, 2020 07:18 PM PHT

Read More:

The Medical City

Makati Medical Center

St. Luke's BGC

St. Luke's QC

St. Luke's hospital

COVID-19

COVID latest

COVID updates

COVID Philippines

COVID Luzon lockdown

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Advertise with Us

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.