TACLOBAN CITY-At least 22 healthcare workers have been added to the growing coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) positive cases in Eastern Visayas.
18 of these healthcare workers are working at the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center while four of them are working at the Leyte Provincial Hospital, Dr. Minerva Molon, the regional director of the Department of Health (DOH-8) said.
At least 6 doctors, 7 nurses, 2 nursing attendants, 2 radiologist technician and a driver have been infected in EVRMC.
With the announcement from DOH-8, the EVRMC also made an advisory that the EVRMC – Emergency Department in Cabalawan and Magsaysay will be closed temporarily for admission and all referrals until further notice, Aron Balais, chairman of the said department, said.
The 22 healthcare workers were part of the 59 new confirmed COVID 19 cases that have been added to date, raising the total number now in the region to 344.
Meanwhile, EVRMC Chief of Hospital Dr. Salvador admitted that indeed there are lapses as to why there were health workers who got infected of the virus.
Evardone said that there were lapses in the decision making in the triage, there were patients who were able to go inside the triage, in which patients should not be admitted to emergency room if they were not yet screened outside of the hospital.
Admittedly there were breach of protocols in decision making, if the patient has cough and cold, they are supposed to be brought to EVRMC Magsaysay, said Evardone.
According to Evardone, it is ironic that only 2 health workers are positive of COVID-19 in Magsaysay and 16 in EVRMC Cabalawan when in fact the latter only serves as screening for patients.
It was also reported by Evardone that there was a healthcare worker that went to EVRMC Cabalawan to have its child’s wound stitched in the emergency room, it turned out that the health worker was positive with COVID-19, though not connected to the hospital, thus, doctors there were infected.
Evardone said that they are not blaming anyone with the situation, public should not panic because those positive healthcare workers do not attend to patients admitted at the ward section of the hospital.
Virtual consultation is ongoing and not face to face according to Evardone.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
