Head nurse handling PGH COVID-19 ward dies
MANILA, Philippines – The head nurse of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), who was handling the health facility’s COVID-19 ward, has died.
The death of PGH’s Faye Marie Luna Palafox was confirmed by her relatives on Saturday through a Facebook post. Palafox died last Friday, April 17.
“April 17, is the saddest day for the family. We lost our aunt/mother/best friend/guardian/hero/provider. No words can describe the pain of losing someone who’s been with you since the day you came into this world,” Palafox’s niece Ericka Palafox said in a post on the former’s Facebook profile.
“The whole family is in deep deep sorrow right now. We would like to take this time to grieve and celebrate her life here on earth,” she added.
However, Ericka clarified that it has not been confirmed whether Palafox was infected with the coronavirus as they have not received the results of the swab tests. She also asked for privacy as their family grieves the loss.
“While it is true that Mama Faye served at the COVID-19 ward of PGH, we have yet to receive the swab results, as of this writing,” she explained. “For whatever the result will be, we ask for everyone’s understanding and respect in our family’s privacy.”
“We appreciate the prayers and condolences that we have received since the passing of my mama/aunt […] The outpouring love shown to us by our relatives, friends, and the general public have helped us cope with the grieving situation we are in,” she said.
While it has not been confirmed that Palafox had COVID-19, nurses like her are facing a higher risk of contracting the disease as they tend to patients with the coronavirus.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), 766 health care workers of which 339 are doctors and another 242 are nurses, have been infected. At least 22 have died of the disease.
READ: 339 doctors, 242 nurses have COVID-19 – DOH
Groups have called on for the protection of health workers, amid the daunting task of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The Alliance of Health Workers said last Friday that the DOH should offer mass testing for all health workers, regardless of whether they have symptoms of the disease.
READ: Health workers say they should be tested for coronavirus regardless of symptoms
READ: Set aside part of additional budget for health workers, mass testing – CHR
As of now, the Department of Health (DOH) said there are now 6,259 COVID-19 positive cases in the country. Of this number, 409 have died while at least 572 recovered from the disease.
Worldwide, there are over 2.33 million individuals infected with the coronavirus, 155,689 have died and another 599,692 have recovered from it.
READ: DOH: PH now has over 6,000 people positive for COVID-19 virus
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