Photo taken from the National Kidney and Transplant Institute.

The National Kidney Transplant Institute (NKTI) announced that it has already reached  its full capacity for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases, with some of the hospital’s health workers getting infected with the virus. 

The hospital’s management issued a statement asking the public to direct possible Covid-19 patients to other facilities since it can no longer accept more patients.

NKTI did not disclose how many of its employees caught the virus.

On March 23, the hospital conducted a mass testing for all of its staff. 

“We appeal to everyone to cooperate and observe all precautionary measures to stop Covid-19 transmission,” the NTKI said.

Meanwhile, the facility’s emergency room will still acutely manage only renal emergency cases,” as well as post-kidney transplant patients.

Earlier this week, some hospitals in Metro Manila also confirmed full capacity for its Covid-19 wards.

According to the Department of Health (DOH), the occupancy rate of Covid-19 beds in hospitals in Metro Manila are: 52% or low risk for ward beds, 66% or moderate risk for isolation and already 74% or high risk for beds in the Intensive Care Unit. 

Mechanical ventilators are also at low risk, now at 52%. The DOH said the One Hospital Command Center has been mandated to determine the needs of hospitals to accept and accommodate more Covid-19 patients with the government ordering both public and private hospitals to add more allocation. Ronald dela Cruz