COVID-19 hits 100 at Taguig rehab center

More than 100 patients at a Bicutan, Taguig Department of Health rehabilitation and treatment facility tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

According to Ivan Mayrina’s Friday report on “24 Oras,” of the 237 patients with COVID-19 symptoms who took an RT-PCR test, 110 had positive results while other results are still pending.

Eleven health care workers at the rehabilitation center also tested positive.

“Positive health care workers and patients were placed in staff quarantine dorms or sent to community quarantine facilities and quarantine facilities for patients within the center,” Director Alfonso Villaroman said.

“At present, all except one manifest with mild symptoms. The rest are asymptomatic. Swabbing is being conducted regularly and… all of them found positive are given the due modicum of treatment and management as well as close monitoring,” he added.

The facility currently has 730 patients, despite its 550 capacity.

“Our approved capacity is 550, pero our capacity reaches 1,000 and above. So, that being said, wala talaga tayong social distancing o nasa minimum,” Villaroman said.

Since March, the rehabilitation center had stopped accepting new admissions as it aimed to decongest its center amid the pandemic. — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News