Over 20 at Heart Center exposed to COVID-19 after patient withheld info on China travel

Over 20 health workers at the Philippine Heart Center were exposed to COVID-19 after the confirmed case reportedly withheld information on travel to China.

According to Victoria Tulad's report on "24 Oras", hospital workers didn't wear personal protective equipment around the patient because they didn't know about the case's travel history.

The patient went to the PHC on February 26 for treatment and was confirmed positive for COVID-19 in March. The case has since died.

"'Yung mga attending niya, tatlo. One of them became positive also. 'Yung dalawa, nag self-quarantine immediately," said Dr. Joel Abanilla, executive director of the hospital.

"Ang mga tinatawag namin mga cardiologist, cardiology fellows namin na na-expose sa kanya marami. Some were admitted, some were advised home quarantine," he added.

"We were acting like crazy dito nang nalaman na positive siya. So we did a massive contact tracing, anybody," Abanilla said.

" So unlike kung nag-disclose ang pasyente and we are prepared for it, outright nalilimit namin yung tao at saka identified lang, and properly protected ang tao na haharap sa kanila," he added. -NB, GMA News