Virus-infected health workers in Ilocos Norte hospital climb to 159

A health worker in Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) in Batac City administers a COVID-19 vaccine shot to an employee of the hospital. (Photo courtesy of MMMH&MC.)

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte—More vaccinated health workers of a hospital in Ilocos Norte province have contracted COVID-19 but manifested only mild symptoms, authorities said.

The number of infected health workers in Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) in Batac City has climbed to 159 as of Monday (Aug. 9), said Dr. Maria Lourdes Otayza, hospital chief, during a television interview.

The asymptomatic hospital workers were completing their isolation in government-run facilities, she said.

So far, at least 1,276 health workers in the hospital are already fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with 221 of them vaccinated with AstraZeneca vaccines, 1,035 health workers inoculated with Sinovac vaccines, while 20 health workers received either the Janssen or Pfizer vaccines.

With the shortage of health workers, the hospital has limited the number of its face-to-face check-up hours in its out-patient clinics starting Aug. 10 from 8:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. as it resorts to online consultation services for the meantime.

Patient consultations in at least four departments of the hospital will be conducted online until the further announcement, the hospital management said. INQ