THIRTY-EIGHT employees of the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, liaison officer Dr. Bernard Rocha said on Wednesday, October 7.
Of the 38 employees, 10 are doctors, 15 are nurses, four are pharmacists, one dentist, five nursing attendants, one radtech, and two admin personnel.
Among the coronavirus-positive NMMC workers, 17 have recovered. They include seven nurses, six doctors, three pharmacists, and one radtech.
The City Health Office recorded 42 new Covid-19 cases, two of whom are healthcare workers in NMMC. The patients are the 911th and 925th cases.
The 911th case is a 27-year-old female from Barangay Cugman. Her last day of duty was on October 2. She showed flu-like symptoms and had an onset of sore throat on October 3.
The woman was swabbed in the NMMC and the result came out positive. She is currently at the Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facility.
The 925th case is a 28-year-old male resident of Barangay 26. He is working at the Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease (Ereid) ward in NMMC. He experienced difficulty in breathing on September 26. He was swabbed on October 2 and the result came out positive on October 5. He was admitted at the NMMC.
The City Health Office identified four direct contacts of the man.
Mayor Oscar Moreno said healthcare workers are the most vulnerable in this time of pandemic.
"Dili tiaw ang sakripisyo aning mga healthcare workers. Expectedly, gai-strengthen pud nila ang ilang mga safety protocols so ang mga tao may find it more difficult nga maka sulod kay naa may safety protocols," Moreno said.
He reminded the public to observe the minimum public health protocols and to avail themselves of the telekonsulta.
Meanwhile, City Health Office Epidemiologist Dr. Joselito Retuya reported that 20 city policemen who tested positive for coronavirus are currently in the isolation facility in Barangay Tablon. Two other coronavirus-positive policemen are admitted at the NMMC.