ILOILO City – Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has already infected 92 healthcare workers and frontliners (non-medical) in Western Visayas, latest data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed.
Of the 92 infections, 52 were healthcare workers while 40 were non-medical frontliners.
These healthcare workers were composed of 20 doctors, 19 nurses, two radio technologists, six midwives, one nursing attendant and one sanitary inspector, according to Dr. Jane Juanico, head of the Infectious Disease Section of DOH Region 6.
DOH-6, however, has not presented a breakdown of infected non-medical frontliners, but it noted that majority of the cases were composed of personnel of the Iloilo City Public Safety and Transportation Management, ambulance driver, barangay officials, Barangay Health Emergency Response Team, among others.
“We are still doing a sub-analysis if these healthcare workers, especially doctors and nurses, were directly or indirectly infected with COVID-19,” said Juanico, citing that in the early part of COVID-19 breakout in the region, most of the doctors and nurses had travel history in high-risk areas.
Meanwhile, Dr. Marie Jocelyn Te, medical officer for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases of DOH-6, described doctors and nurses as “high risk” for COVID-19 infection because they directly deal with patients.
“They are all wearing protective gears such masks, goggles and gloves but ang kontra ta indi makita,” Te told Panay News.
She urged healthcare workers and non-medical frontliners to constantly revisit safety protocols.
“If you are overwhelmed sa obra there are times nga malipatan mo ang pagsunod sang protocols. They have to do their role at the same using protective gears properly,” Te said./PN
