COVID-19 THREAT

DOH verifying reports of hundreds of medical workers under quarantine in hospitals

The Department of Health is verifying reports that hundreds of medical workers have been placed under quarantine due to the COVID-19 threat.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Monday said he has heard the reports saying over 500 staff of the UST Hospital in Manila and close to 150 staff of The Medical City in Pasig City were under quarantine.

"Sabi naman sa akin, batay sa impormasyon, sinama rin 'yung clerks, residents at interns. Siyempre marami 'yun. Aalamin ko. Dapat 'yung ika-quarantine mo 'yung close contact," he said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

"Pinapa-verify ko. Ngayon ko lang narinig 'yung ganun kadami. Pailan-ilan lang ang kina-quarantine sa DOH hospitals," he said.

A total of 530 staff of the UST Hospital were quarantined after they were exposed to positive cases of COVID-19, the hospital administration said on Friday.

"A number of staff [were] admitted as persons under investigation or sent home, or admitted as persons under monitoring (presently a total of 530 hospital staff including consultants, fellows, residents, nurses, and aides have been quarantined),” the hospital said in a statement dated March 20.

Meanwhile, at The Medical City (TMC), 144 personnel — 95 nurses, 13 residents and fellows, 12 emergency room physicians and 24 house staff — were placed under quarantine for 14 days as of Saturday night, TMC president and chief executive officer Dr. Eugenio Jose Ramos said on Sunday.

Duque confirmed some staff of the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City have been placed under quarantine.

"Meron silang mga naka-quarantine. May protocol yan eh. Kung nakababad ka sa isolation room kasama ng pasyente for seven days, ika-quarantine 'yon paglabas for 14 days," he said.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Sunday said some private hospitals are already experiencing exhaustion of their systems.

According to Vergeire, the exhaustion includes health workers who were either tired or under quarantine after attending to COVID-19 patients.

“Kasama na po ‘yung human resources na dahil sa pagod at na-quarantine na po ‘yung iba,” she said.

The DOH said as of Sunday, COVID-19 cases in the country have reached 380 as more tests are being conducted. Twenty-five died, while 17 have recovered. —KG, GMA News