COVID-19 infects 86 health workers in Ilocos Norte hospital

Health workers in Ilocos Norte monitor a COVID-19 patient in an isolation facility despite torrential rains. (Photo courtesy of Ghlenniezzel Mae Salazar)

LAOAG CITY—The Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) in Batac City, Ilocos Norte province reported on Monday (Aug. 2) that at least 86 of its health workers have been infected with COVID-19.

The hospital, a major COVID-19 referral facility in Ilocos Norte, said all of the infected health workers were already isolated.

So far, the hospital has been treating 154 COVID-19 patients, far exceeding the 104-bed capacity it earlier retained for infected patients.

With many of the health workers contracting the virus, the hospital appealed to the public Monday to refrain from “uttering and spreading misinformation, and avoid misinterpreting our actions that aimed at preventing the spread of the virus.”

Strict measures would be further imposed on the hospital, not only for the welfare of its health workers but also for all its patients and the public in general, it said.

On Monday, the province added 112 new cases to its COVID-19 tally, bringing the total active infections to 3,379.

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