Quezon town nurse gets COVID-19, consultations suspended

LUCENA CITY – The local health office in the remote island town of Quezon in Quezon province has suspended its consultation services after one of its nurses contracted COVID-19.

The rural health unit (RHU) of Quezon announced Sunday afternoon that one of the nurses assigned by the Department of Health (DOH) in the locality tested positive for the coronavirus.

The RHU said in a public advisory that due to this development, consultations are suspended while contact tracing is being done.

It said the swab test for RHU staff will be conducted on Wednesday, September 22.

The COVID-19 vaccination rollout and birthing services will continue.

Quezon town is in Alabat island between the Pacific Ocean and Lamon Bay. Aside from Quezon, the island also hosts the municipalities of Alabat and Perez.

As of September 19, Quezon town has logged 248 COVID-19 cases, 201 recoveries and 12 fatalities since the pandemic began in March last year.

The island municipality still has 35 active virus carriers.

On September 13, DOH report said 24,284 healthcare workers in the country have so far tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

A total of 104 healthcare workers who contracted COVID-19 have died, according to the DOH.

Some health worker groups have been holding a series of protests to demand the release of their delayed special risk allowances as they continue to man COVID-19 frontlines.

The DOH declared that some P14.3 billion worth of benefits for public and private health workers have been distributed as of September 3.

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