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CEBU CITY, Philippines — The number of healthcare workers in Central Visayas with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has climbed to 127 as of June 9.
In a report furnished to the media on Thursday, June 11, the Department of Health in the region (DOH – 7) and its Regional Epidemiological and Surveillance Unit (RESU) shows that most of the health workers infected with the virus are nurses.
“With 35, or comprising 28 percent of the total count, most of the confirmed cases of healthcare workers were nurses,” said the report which was signed by Dr. Jaime Bernadas, DOH-7 director, and Dr. Eugenia Mercedes Cañal, RESU cluster head.
There are also 26 utility workers, 16 physicians, and 15 administrative personnel from hospitals and health institutions, who have been afflicted with COVID-19.
Other employees in Central Visayas’ healthcare industry, who got the virus while battling the pandemic in the frontlines, included nine nursing attendants, nine midwives, seven employed under DOH-7, four medical technologists, three psychologists, and three social workers.
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Data from DOH-7 showed that the total number of documented COVID-19 cases in Central Visayas has breached the 4,000-mark as it recorded 4,144 as of June 9. Majority of the patients are still in home isolation or in an isolation center.
COVID-19 patients, who do not show any signs or symptoms of the infection, are placed either under home isolation or transferred to a designated isolation center.
Meanwhile, the number of recoveries has already reached 1,443 while those admitted or under hospital care stood at 916.
Health officials also recorded a total of 74 COVID-19 patients who already passed away. But they added that 86 percent of the reported deaths are ‘incidental’.
“Sixty three or 86 percent are incidental deaths and 10 or 14 percent are COVID-related were reported. Most incidental deaths were from Cebu City, and Cebu province,” they said.
Coronavirus patients, who died due to other causes such as underlying health conditions, are classified as ‘incidental deaths./dbs