PCMC mourns its 'first fallen soldier,' surgeon who died due to COVID-19

The Philippine Children's Medical Center mourned the loss of one of its own in the battle against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In a statement on Facebook, the PCMC honored its "first fallen soldier," Dr. Leandro L. Resurreccion III, who headed its Pediatric Surgery Division.

"The PCMC Family mourns the passing of a great surgeon, teacher, academician and friend to all. He was well known locally and abroad as forward looking in his vision for pediatric surgery especially in Liver Transplants which he was working to the end," it said.

"Always smiling, friendly and very 'cool', he will be missed. Our first fallen soldier in the battle vs COVID-19," it added.

Resurreccion, a pediatric transplant surgeon, passed away on Tuesday morning due to acute respiratory failure brought about by COVID-19. He was 57 years old.

His daughter Pia said he died at the intensive care unit of the Philippine General Hospital after battling the disease for almost three weeks.

Last March 27, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) announced that ten doctors have already died due to COVID-19.

Among them was Dr. Sally Gatchalian, president of the Philippine Pediatric Society.

The Philippines so far has recorded a total of 2,084 infections and 88 deaths due to COVID-19. The number of recoveries, meanwhile, rose to 49.

—JCB, GMA News