BALANGA CITY — The chief of the government-run Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) here in a statement Tuesday said 55 of their workers were tested positive of the coronavirus disease and the number is expected to rise if laboratory tests are known.
Latest report showed there are 81 confirmed Covid cases in Bataan with 15 recovered and four dead.
“Nakalulungkot man pong sabihin nitong mga nakaraang araw, biglaan ang pagtaas ng bilang ng confirmed positive health workers sa BGHMC dahil halos sabay-sabay na lumabas ang resulta ng confirmatory test na isinagawa sa kanila,” Dr. Glory Baltazar announced.
She said the number may still rise because hospital workers who reported for work since April 1 to the present have been subjected to laboratory examinationand to make sure that no one was left not tested.
“Sa kasalukuyan, mahigit 700 na ang sumailalim sa testing at may 230 na ang nagnegatibo at mahigit 400 pa ang naghihintay ng resulta. Ang patuloy na tumitingin sa mga Covid cases ay regular at mas madalas ang testing,” the hospital chief said.
Baltazar said contract tracing showed that the spread of Covid–19 in BGHMC started from a male patient who underwent emergency surgical procedure in the first week of April. The trauma surgeon and the nurses who attended to the patient were exposed to the virus.
She said the surgeon was asymptomatic when subjected to test on April 5 but when the result was known on April 10, the doctor was found positive of the virus. From then on, she said, all with direct contact to health workers confirmed Covid positive and the operated patient underwent testing.
She said the hospital workers were divided into two groups. The first group was composed of those without direct contact with workers who turned positive and feeling no symptom of the virus. The second group are those with direct contact to those who were infected but also without symptom.
“Ang mga direct contact na health workers na patuloy na naglilingkod ay nakahiwalay din ng tinutuluyan. May inilaang mga foam mattresses, unan, bedsheets, kumot at punda para sa kanila. Lubha pong mahalaga ang kanilang pananatili sa BGHMC para na rin sa kabutihan ng kanilang mga mahal sa buhay at komunidad,” Baltazar said.
She said the hospital workers were further grouped into low, medium and high risk. Nine hospital workers with mild symptoms were quarantined at the Bataan People’s Center in Balanga City.
Some 100 health workers billeted in hotels continued with their hospital duties because result of their confirmatory test was negative, she said.
The provincial government under Gov. Albert Garciahas taken care of the food, hotel, transportation and security of all hospital workers, both quarantined and those continuously working.
Baltazar made it clear that she was not against posting in social media but that it should be responsible and does not violate the privacy of patients and regulations set by the Department of Health.
She also said that BGHMC has no shortage of personal protective equipment, medical supplies and even hospital beds. A 20-bed state-of-the-art mobile hospital was set up in the hospital compound.
She said that 200 doctors, nurses and other hospital staff who were tested negative of the virus and have no direct contact with those confirmed positive continue serving patients at the BGHMC.
Baltazar made the reaction after negative comments were posted in social media about the hospital that was turned into an exclusive facility for Covid patients.
The complaints are: no proper lodging accommodation for hospital workers, posting in social media barred, no clear directive of management as to the safety of workers, workers found negative of the virus still mingle with those awaiting swab test result.
