Caloocan hospital temporarily shut after doctor gets coronavirus

MANILA, Philippines — A hospital in Caloocan City will be closed until 8 a.m. on Tuesday, April 21, after one of its doctors tested positive for the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) despite showing no symptoms, Mayor Oscar Malapitan announced on Sunday.

The closure of Caloocan City Medical Center North in Camarin was done to give way to disinfection and sanitation procedures to prevent the spread of the severe acute respiratory illness, Malapitan said in a statement.

“This is needed so that we may do whatever we can to remain safe, not just the front-liners but also the patients and the public,” he added.

Caloocan City Medical Center South in Poblacion will remain open to accommodate other patients, according to the city public information office.

Malapitan said that the doctor regularly interacted with other health workers in the hospital. Not all of the patients there, however, were COVID-19 patients. The mayor did not say where they would be transferred in the meantime.

Residents with medical concerns who need to consult a doctor can still contact the hospital or go to barangay health centers which remain open amid the increasing number of COVID-19 patients and the extended Luzon-wide lockdown.

But Malapitan also encouraged them to try other hospitals in the city.

As of Sunday, Caloocan had 134 positive COVID-19 cases, with 21 fatalities.

/atm