ILOILO City – Healthcare workers in Western Visayas hit by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) rose to 1,852 as of April 23, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
Of these, 11 died, said Dr. Marie Jocelyn Te, DOH Region 6 medical coordinator for emerging and reemerging infectious diseases.
The numbers of affected health workers, broken down by province, are as follows: Aklan – 102; Antique – 106; Capiz – 134; Guimaras – 16; Iloilo – 370; Negros Occidental – 348; Bacolod City – 312; Iloilo City – 464.
The 11 who died were a physician, a dentist, four nurses, two medical staff, one nursing attendant, and two Barangay Health Workers.
Te is reminding patients to be honest to healthcare workers to minimize the risk of spreading the virus to them.
They should disclose if they had been in close contact with infected individuals so that healthcare workers can quickly manage and monitor them.
Te reminded healthcare workers not to be complacent and always wear their complete Personal Protective Equipment.
DOH-6 also recorded 2,157 infected non-medical frontline workers along with 10 deaths./PN
