COVID-19 infects 25 at DOH-run hospital in Iloilo City


ILOILO CITY—The government hospital managed by the Department of Health (DOH) in this city now has 25 health workers infected by coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

In a Wednesday press conference, DOH confirmed that two new cases have caused the lockdown imposed at the obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN) and finance departments of the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC).

WVMC’s Chief Pathologist Dr. Stephanie Abello said the two new cases were recorded Tuesday, August 18.

This came a week after six medical technologists of WVMC’s Sub-National Laboratory (WVMC-SNL) were infected with COVID-19. The cases traced to WVMC-SNL last week affected testing COVID-19 specimens from Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Iloilo provinces as well as the regional center of Iloilo City.

But according to Abello, majority of the 25 COVID-19 cases recorded at WVMC were asymptomatic.

“Out of the 25 positive cases, 22 are asymptomatic,” Abello added.

In a separate statement, the WVMC assured that constant disinfection was being done within the premises of the hospital.