Caloocan top health officer positive for coronavirus
The chief of Caloocan City’s health department has tested positive for the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Mayor Oscar “Oca” Malapitan confirmed on Wednesday.
In a statement, Malapitan said the health official was tested on April 9, citing a memorandum from the Department of Health (DOH) requiring all health care personnel and front-liners to undergo swab testing since they were among the most at-risk individuals.
“When she was tested, she was not experiencing any symptoms —therefore she was asymptomatic—and did not have any known exposure to a patient who tested positive for COVID-19,” he said.
However, Malapitan also pointed out the DOH had told the local government during a consultation that asymptomatic patients did not need to be quarantined. At that time, the city health official had not gotten her test results.
She continued to work but after learning that she was positive for COVID-19, she went into isolation.
Malapitan said the health officer was continuing to perform her duties through phone calls and digital communications online.
As of Wednesday, Caloocan had 88 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 21 deaths and 16 recoveries.
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For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH Hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.
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