SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur (MindaNews / 16 May) — A 37-year old female health worker from the Caraga Regional Hospital (CRH) in Surigao City is the fourth confirmed case of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Caraga region, the Department of Health’s Center for Health Deveopment regional office reported.
The confirmation came Friday when the regional office received the results of the lab specimen sent to the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City, using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) machine.
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Early this week, the second COVID-19 case, a 65-year old male, was discharged from the hospital. The second case was exposed to someone who attended the New Davao Matina Gallera derby in Davao City in March.
The previous three cases – all from Butuan City — have recovered.
As part of the hospital protocol, all health workers are required to undergo strict facility quarantine following tour of duty from the COVID-19 dedicated ward.
The health worker remains asymptomatic after 14 days of strict health facility quarantine but is now admitted to the CRH for observation, monitoring and follow-up test.
“We are doing all means to protect, isolate and actively monitor the condition of the affected individual,” Health regional director Jose R. Llacuna, Jr. said.
Based on DOH Department Memorandum 2020-0180, at risk health care workers with no symptoms but have relevant history of contact with a COVID-19 positive will be tested.
“Likewise, the DOH National has granted our request to provide 19 health care workers in CRH as human resource augmentation while we ensure that all health care teams have enough personal protective equipment, ” Llacuna said.
As of May 15, the DOH reported four confirmed cases of COVID-19; one probable in Agusan del Sur and 83 suspects – 45 in Butuan City, 14 in Agusan del Norte, eight in Cabadbaran City, five in Agusan del Sur, two in Bayugan City, two in Surigao City, two in Surigao del Norte, two in Tandag City, two in Surigao del Sur and one in Bislig City.
Meanwhile, 15 RT-PCR laboratory results from suspected COVID-19 cases yielded negative. These cases are from patients admitted at Butuan Doctors’ Hospital, Butuan Medical Center-Annex, D.O. Plaza Memorial Hospital, Manuel J. Santos Hospital, Nasipit District Hospital, and Caraga Regional Hospital. (Chris V. Panganiban / MindaNews)
