Twelve employees of the Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD6) tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
“Initially, we have three and on the initial result of the first phase of the contact tracing another nine turned positive,” Dr. Mary Jane Juanico, head of the infectious disease cluster of DOH-CHD6, said in a virtual presser on Saturday.
Of the confirmed cases, one each came from the engineering unit and health and promotion office and 10 from the regional epidemiology and surveillance unit.
However, Juanico said they still have no “concrete findings” as to how the employees contracted the disease as they have just returned to work after the holidays.
She said that during the first week of January, some of the employees of the department manifested chills and colds.
During contact tracing, they found out that some employees have reported on weekends to consolidate DOH reports.
“Since our employees are on post-holiday, we still did not know as of this time the exact source of our transmission at the DOH 6,” Juanico said.
The index case tested positive on Thursday and the initial contact tracing was immediately undertaken.
Since 10 of those positive were from the RESU, the agency has come up with plans to make sure that their operations will not be affected.
“Our employees will go on a work from home status as of this time since our initially affected employees were from the critical unit of our surveillance section. Designated persons have been identified, especially those general contacts and second and third level contacts, to be stationed at our regional office,” she added.
All of the 12 patients experienced mild symptoms. One is currently admitted in a hospital, two are in facility quarantine, and the rest are on strict home quarantine.
Close contacts in the workplace have been quarantined, Juanico said.
The premises of the DOH CHD6 had been disinfected on Saturday morning.
Juanico said the last confirmed Covid-19 case of the DOH 6 was three months ago.
MORE RECOVERIES
Meanwhile, some 8,592 more patients recovered from Covid as of yesterday, pushing the country’s overall tally of recovered cases to 458,198.
In its 4 p.m. case bulletin, the DOH said the figures represent 94 percent of those who tested positive for the virus nationwide.
The agency also reported 1,906 new confirmed cases and eight new deaths.
These figures brought the overall tally of active cases to 20,087, and the death toll to 9,405.
The DOH said about 83 percent of the active cases are mild, 5.8 percent are asymptomatic, 3.7 percent are severe, 0.63 percent are moderate, and 6.8 percent are in critical condition.
“There were 13 duplicates that were removed from the total case count, and of these, seven recovered cases and one death had been removed. Moreover, two cases previously tagged as recovered was reclassified as a death,” it added.
Quezon City topped the list of places that logged highest number of new cases with 121 infections.
It was followed by Benguet with 84, Davao City with 82, Cavite with 79, and Bulacan with 75.
DOH data on Jan. 9 showed that 1,155 or 6.4 percent of 18,037 who were tested turned out positive for Covid-19.
Currently, there are 25,700 beds dedicated to patients with Covid-19.
Available are 61 percent of 2,100 intensive care unit beds, 63 percent of 15,900 isolation beds, and 74 percent of 7,700 ward beds.
About 80 percent of 2,100 ventilators are available for Covid-19 patients’ use. The DOH reminded the public to continue observing the minimum health standards, especially when going outdoors – the proper wearing of face masks and face shields, avoiding cramped places where physical distancing is impossible, and avoid staying outside for a long period.*PNA
