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PH private hospitals brace for possible COVID-19 spike due to Omicron

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Davinci Maru, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt=" Syringes with needles are seen in front of a displayed stock graph and words " omicron="" sars-cov-2="" src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/12/01/global-markets.jpg"/><figcaption>Syringes with needles are seen in front of a displayed stock graph and words &quot;Omicron SARS-CoV-2&quot; in this illustration taken Nov. 27, 2021. Dado Ruvic, Reuters/File</figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA—A group of private hospitals is preparing for a possible spike in COVID-19 infections over fears of the spread of the new Omicron coronavirus variant.</p><p>Dr. Jose Rene De Grano, president of Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc, said there are now ample supplies of oxygen and vacant beds amid a drop in COVID-19 cases in the country.</p><p>&quot;Handa po ang mga private hospitals kung magkaroon man ulit ng mga bagong surge o bagong cases ng COVID,&quot; he told TeleRadyo Wednesday.</p><p>(Private hospitals are prepared in case there will be a surge or new cases of COVID.)</p><p>South Africa reported the Omicron variant to the World Health Organization on Nov. 24. </p><p>While much is still unknown about the new variant, the agency believes its high number of mutations may make it more transmissible or resistant to vaccines.</p><p>A number of countries, including the Philippines, has closed its borders to prevent the spread of Omicron.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/12/01/21/how-south-african-scientists-spotted-omicron-covid-variant">How South African scientists spotted the Omicron COVID variant</a></li></ul><div><strong>STAY IN ALERT LEVEL 2</strong></div><p>As of <a href="https://doh.gov.ph/covid19tracker">Nov. 29</a>, some 8,153 out of 28,482 hospital beds are occupied, data from the Department of Health showed.</p><p>Some 1,116 out of 1,291 health facilities are considered at the &quot;safe&quot; level, which means less than 60 percent of their capacity are occupied. Only 30 facilities were tagged as &quot;critical”, or more than 85 percent occupied.</p><p>De Grano noted though there were still more than 7,000 COVID-19 patients currently admitted in private hospitals despite declining virus cases.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/29/21/ncr-stays-under-alert-level-2-amid-omicron-threat">Metro Manila remains under Alert Level 2 amid Omicron threat</a></li></ul><p>As the Omicron variant has spread to some parts of the world, he said majority of the country should stay under COVID-19 Alert Level 2 until year-end.</p><p>Metro Manila and many other provinces are placed under looser quarantine restrictions until Dec. 15.</p><p>&quot;Siguro ang pagbababa sa [Alertl] Level 1 hindi pa po dapat natin gawin right now,&quot; he said.</p><p>(I think downgrading to Alert Level 1 should not be done right now.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/30/21/ph-reports-425-fresh-covid-19-cases">Philippines reports 425 fresh COVID-19 cases, lowest so far this year</a></li></ul><p>On Tuesday, the country reported 425 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest daily tally so far this year. The tally includes 15,800 active cases and 48,545 fatalities.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/12/01/21/over-60s-vulnerable-should-postpone-travel-due-to-omicron-who">Over-60s, vulnerable should postpone travel due to Omicron: WHO</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1847339" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div> </div>

A group of private hospitals is preparing for a possible spike in COVID-19 infections over fears of the spread of the new Omicron coronavirus variant.

PH private hospitals brace for possible COVID-19 spike due to Omicron

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PH private hospitals brace for possible COVID-19 spike due to Omicron

Davinci Maru,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 01, 2021 02:51 PM PHT

Read More:

TeleRadyo

Dr. Jose Rene De Grano

Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc

PHAPi

COVID-19

COVID19

coronavirus

Omicron

Omicron COVID-19 variant

private hospitals

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