110 Orthopedic Center employees test positive for coronavirus—union head

MANILA, Philippines—At least 110 employees of the Philippine Orthopedic Center (POC) have been infected with SARS Cov2, the virus that causes COVID-19, according to the hospital union president.

Sean Herbert Velchez, National Orthopedic Workers Union head, said in a phone interview on Friday (April 2) that the data came from information gathered by union contacts and other sources after 180 employees were tested during the week.

According to Velchez, the high infection rate was corroborated by the suspension of the government hospital’s outpatient services and elective surgery, which the POC announced on Facebook.

The numbers were collated from “reports reaching us from our members who are part of committees, sensitive committees in charge of swabbing for example, in disposition of patients,” Velchez told INQUIRER.net in Filipino.

“This was validated on Thursday afternoon, it was posted on the official pages of Philippine Ortophedic Center and management that they are cancelling face-to-face consultation or literally they are closing down our outpatient department temporarily,” he added.

Most of the POC employees who tested positive have received the first dose of coronavirus vaccines, Velchez also revealed.

https://www.facebook.com/POC.Orthopedics/posts/327191215685832

https://www.facebook.com/POC.Orthopedics/posts/327460568992230

The country is currently dealing with a surge in COVID-19 cases. As of Friday, there were over 153,000 active infections after the Department of Health recorded 15,310 new cases, of which 3,790 were from a backlog.

READ: Highest number ever: PH logs 15,310 new COVID-19 cases https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1414155/new-cases-at-record-high-15310-doh-says-3709-backlogs-included

TSB