MANILA, Philippines — The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has claimed the life of another medical sector frontliner in the country.
Dr. Ephraim Neal Orteza, a pediatrician and medical director at the Ospital ng Parañaque, passed away on Wednesday night.
“We are saddened to have lost our Medical Director Dr. Ephraim Neal C. Orteza. He was our father, our mentor and our friend. Deepest sympathies and condolences go out to the family of our fallen hero. You will be missed,” Ospital ng Parañaque announced Thursday on Facebook.
Parañaque City congressman and Orteza’s brother-in-law, Eric Olivarez, likewise paid tribute to the doctor through his Facebook account.
“Dr. Neal Orteza was a loving husband, a supportive father and a very caring and hardworking medical doctor,” the congressman noted. “I pray for the eternal repose of the soul of my brother-in-law, Kuya Neal. I will miss you, Kuya Neal!”
Orteza is the brother of veteran actress, writer, and director Bibeth Orteza.
At least 21 Filipino doctors have died on the frontlines of the country’s battle against the highly contagious respiratory illness as of April 8, according to the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc.
As of Thursday, the Philippines has recorded 4,076 people infected with COVID-19, including 203 deaths.
COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2, which outbreak started in China’s Wuhan City in Hubei province in late 2019.
For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Globally, the virus already infected more than 1,519,570 people and killed 88,550 as of April 9. On the other hand, over 331,010 people have recovered so far from the disease.