Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) is now on Code Red, increasing its capacity to treat more COVID-19 patients from 40 to 50 percent.

The COVID-19 referral hospital in Northern Mindanao, NMMC, has raised its COVID-19 response level to Code Red, a health official said on Friday, May 21. 

This means the state hospital, along with the CEREID in San Simon, has now increased its capacity to treat COVID-positive patients from 40 percent to 50 percent at present.

With this development, Dr. Gina Itchon, head of the NMMC for Research and Development, has sought the help of private hospitals in Cagayan de Oro City to take in more non-COVID patients to relieve the burden of the NMMC.

Dr. Itchon added that the number of COVID-19 infections in the city is “not showing any sign of decrease.”

NMMC has recorded 182 as the highest peak of the number of admitted patients in October 2020. Still, the figure was already surpassed when the hospital recorded 234 admitted patients as of May 19, 2021, said Dr. Itchon.

City Health officials once again reiterated the appeal to the public to “be mindful and always practice the minimum public health standards,” the only way we can stop the spread of the virus.

As of yesterday evening, Cagayan de Oro City has recorded 73 new infections. This brings the total cumulative to 6,252 cases, with 967 active cases, 5,021 recoveries, and 264 deaths.

—(Source: City Information Office)