DAGUPAN CITY – The Region 1 Medical Center (R1MC), the biggest hospital north of Manila, is in need of more test kits as it recorded eight cases of the coronavirus disease among its medical frontliners on Friday.
Region 1 Medical Center Chief Dr. Joseph Roland O. Mejia called on Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to allocate at least 1,000 test kits for the hospital to cater to its needs.
Mejia also said the surgical department R1MC will only be able to accommodate emergency surgery, as it will be temporary closed for disinfection.
As of Friday, four doctors and four nurses have turned out to be positive for COVID-19.
Mejia said they may have been infected by a patient, who tested positive for the virus after undergoing a major surgery.
They could have also acquired the virus from other medical workers who were exposed to a positive patient.
Some hospital personnel could have also traveled outside the province where they may have been infected.
As such, R1MC management said it will only be able to conduct consultation and other transactions through online appointment to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in the hospital.