Caloocan health department chief tests positive for coronavirus

The head of the Caloocan City health departmenttested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019, according to Mayor Oscar Malapitan.

In a Facebook post, Malapitan said the chief of the city health department got tested on April 9 under the Department of Health’s 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,” Malapitan said.

“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,” he added.

The health chief is not exhibiting any symptoms and has no known unprotected exposure.

The doctor is now undergoing quarantine while still performing duties through telephone communication and other digital means.

“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 said.

The mayor also said the city government will help and support its health workers, who are at the frontline in the fight against the viral disease.

“Nais ko pong ipabatid sa lahat ng mga doktor, nurses at iba pang frontliners na andito ang Pamahalaang Lungsod ng Caloocan para suportahan, tulungan at kalingahin sila sa kanilang paggampan ng kanilang mga tungkulin. Makakaasa po kayo na dito sa Caloocan, hindi po namin kayo pababayaan.”

As of Wednesday, Caloocan has 88 confirmed cases of COVID-19 including 21 deaths and 16 recoveries.

The city also has 77 persons under investigation and 143 persons under monitoring.

Meanwhile, infections nationwide increased to 5,660 as of Thursday, including 362 fatalities and 435 recoveries.