COVID-19 cases among PH health workers now at 1,619; death toll at 33

MANILA, Philippines — Health professionals in the Philippines continue to bear the brunt of the COVID-19 crisis with a total of 1,619 of them infected with the novel coronavirus.

Of this number, 33 have died of the respiratory disease and 24 of them were doctors, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a televised press briefing.

Of those infected, 557 are doctors, 604 are nurses, 99 are nursing assistants, 63 are medical technologists, 31 are radiologic technologists, 18 are midwives, 17 are respiratory therapists, and 13 are pharmacists.

Meanwhile, 217 are classified as “other healthcare workers” which consist of dentists, barangay health workers, and administrative aides, Vergeire noted.

A total of 250 healthcare workers have already recovered from the disease, she added.

The World Health Organization earlier expressed concern over the high coronavirus infections among the country’s medical frontliners.

To date, there are 8,488 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, including 1,043 recoveries and 568 deaths.