FILE – Health workers shed their protective gear after administering rapid tests to residents at a public school in Tondo, Manila, under Project ARK, a private sector-led initiative to introduce rapid antibody testing to barangays and companies to contain the spread of COVID-19. —RICHARD A. REYES
MANILA, Philippines — The number of healthcare professionals in the Philippines infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) rose to 1,819, constituting nearly 19 percent of the country’s total cases, the Department of Health (DOH) announced Tuesday.
Of this number, 84 have died of the respiratory disease—25 of them were doctors, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Tuesday in a televised press briefing.
Of the total infected among health professionals, 685 are nurses, 590 are doctors 107 are nursing assistants, 70 are medical technologists, 34 are radiologic technologists, 21 are midwives, 20 are respiratory therapists, and 15 are pharmacists.
Meanwhile, 277 are classified as “other healthcare workers” which consist of dentists, barangay health workers, and administrative aides.
A total of 350 healthcare workers have already recovered from the disease.
The Philippines, so far, has 9,684 COVID-19 cases, including 1,408 recoveries and 637 deaths.