Caloocan health chief tests positive for COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — The head of the Caloocan City Health Department has tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19), recording the latest reported addition to health workers who have caught the respiratory illness.

“Ikinalulungkot kong kumpirmahin na ang pinuno ng City Health Department ng lungsod ng Caloocan ay nagpositibo sa COVID-19,” Mayor Oscar Malapitan announced in a Facebook post on Thursday.

(I regret to inform you that the head of the City Health Department of Caloocan City has tested positive for COVID-19.)

Malapitan said the City Health Department chief got tested on April 9 under the Department of Health Department Memorandum No. 2020-0151.

“Base sa nasabing Department Memorandum, lahat ng healthcare workers, kahit walang sintomas, na may posibleng exposure sa COVID-19 dahil sa uri ng trabaho, ay isasailalim sa COVID testing para mapangalagaan ang kalusugan ng ating mga bayaning frontliners,” the mayor said in his post.

(Under the department memorandum, healthcare workers, even those not showing symptoms, who have possible exposure to COVID-19 because of the nature of their job will undergo COVID testing to ensure the safety of our frontliners.)

“Ayon din sa naturang memorandum at pagkokonsulta namin sa DOH ngayong araw, hindi sya nangailangang magpaquarantine sa mga panahon na iyon. Kaya nagpatuloy pa rin niyang ginampanan ang kanyang trabaho,” added Malapitan.

(According to the same memorandum and based on our consultation with the DOH today, the CHD chief did not need to undergo quarantine at that time. That’s why the CHD chief continues to work.)

During the test, the health officer had no symptoms of the disease or “unprotected known exposure” to a COVID-19 patient.

The CHD chief remains without symptoms for the coronavirus disease as of this time, according to the mayor, and is now undergoing quarantine while still performing duties aided by mobile communication.

“Hindi niya ninais ang nangyari sa kanya. Subalit siya ay bukas loob na naninilbihan sa bayan ng Caloocan sa kabila ng banta ng sakit sa kanya at sa kanyang pamilya. Pinili niyang pumasok sa trabaho at gampanan ang tungkulin sa kabila ng panganib na hinaharap niya at ng mga kasamahan niyang frontliners. Siya ay dapat pasalamatan sa kaniyang katapangan,” Malapitan added.

As of posting time, Malapitan has yet to provide details on when the test result of the city’s top health officer came out.

He also assured that the city government will support and help health workers in the locality who are battling the pandemic at the frontline.

EDV/MUF