ILOILO City – Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected nearly 600 nurses in Western Visayas, data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed.
As of Jan. 18, nurses of all ages made up 43.7 percent or 579 of the 1,324 total confirmed infections among medical frontliners in the region.
Dr. Jane Juanico, medical officer of DOH Region 6, described nurses as “high risk” for COVID-19 infection because they spend the most time with patients – bathing, dressing and giving medication.
Juanico also said nurses sat by the bedsides of sick patients in lieu of families, or held phones connecting patients with their loved ones barred from making hospital visits.
She once again reiterated her call for healthcare workers to constantly revisit safety protocols.
COVID-19 spreads from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales.
These droplets also land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.
Meanwhile, the remaining infected healthcare workers were comprised of 221 doctors, 140 medical technologists, 109 nursing attendants. So far, 12 medical workers summcumed to the viral illness, Juanico said.
As to the non-medical frontliners, DOH-6 recorded a total of 1,335 confirmed COVID-19 cases. While not presenting a breakdown, Juanico noted that majority were government employees.
She also revealed that 27 infections were detected at the DOH-6 headquarters in Mandurriao district.
Of the 27, Juanico said 25 were mild cases and two others were severe.
Elven were admitted in hospitals while others were quarantined in isolation facilities of various local government units or under home quarantine.
“Sa amon nga kalabanan nga nangin kaso mostly they are related sa ila man line of work because ang pinakadaku nga grupo nga naapektohan sa amon are from the surveillance unit,” said Juanico.
As of Jan. 18, Western Visayas had a total of 22,341 confirmed COVID-19 cases – 755 of which were active, 20,893 recovered and 687 died./PN
