Five health workers test positive for COVID-19 in Cotabato; hospital closed

KIDAPAWAN CITY - Five health workers tested positive in Antipas, Cotabato, the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force said on Tuesday.

The frontliners work at the Arakan Valley District Hospital, said Dr. Philbert Malaluan, IATF Cotabato spokersperson and emergency operation commander.

Following the incident, the hospital was temporarily closed and most services were suspended for the facility's decontamination.

Patients were transferred to the New Cebu Hospital in the municipality of President Roxas and the Cotabato Provincial Hospital in Barangay Amas in Kidapawan City.

“We cannot tell yet when we will resume operation since decontamination is still ongoing in all areas of the hospital including contact tracing for possible contacts of the victims,” Malaluan said.

Malaluan also confirmed that "locally-acquired infection with community transmission" was noted in Antipas following the incident.

“After collating data from Cotabato Provincial and Antipas Epidemiological Surveillance Units, and DOH Region XII, we can now confirm locally-acquired infection with community transmission in the municipality of Antipas,” Malaluan said.

Four of the five health workers had no travel history. One of them however traveled from Davao City for a non-COVID-related medical concern.

Malaluan however said the five frontliners could have contracted COVID-19 from those who visited the hospital.

“We are looking at all angles to determine the virus carrier but at the same time we already conducted contact tracing for possible people who mingled with these frontliners,” he said.

The five health workers had their swab tests done on Sept. 18. The results came out on Sept. 20.

Malaluan also advised patients, visitors and other health care workers who visited the Arakan Valley District Hospital from September 7 to 18 to get in touch with and cooperate with authorities as part of the contact tracing process.

Antipas Mayor Egidio Cadungon has ordered focus containment in the areas where the frontliners live.

"We advised our constituents to follow health protocols at all times to prevent acquiring the virus in the community," Cadungon said.

Cotabato province has recorded 107 COVID-19 cases so far.

Of this number, 48 are active, 57 have recovered, while one has died, according to data from the Department of Health Regional Office 12. —KG, GMA News