DAVAO CITY – The Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center (DOPMC) will temporarily be ceasing its operation starting Monday, January 25, due to a surge in the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases recorded in its compound.

Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center (DOPMC) (Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)

In a public advisory, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Reden V. Versaldo said DOPMC will be closed for a period of 10 to 14 days.

“During this time, DOPMC will be undergoing massive disinfection, isolation, and risk testing of all remaining employees and contacts,” Versaldo said while noting that there will be no new admissions or emergency cases during the temporary closure period.

However, he said, all remaining admitted patients “will be facilitated and discharged accordingly”.

The provincial health officer also appealed to the general public, who may need medical assistance, to instead go to the nearest district hospitals, as well as the designated rural and city health units, including private clinics and hospitals.

“Let us continue to pray for all our frontliners and for the speedy recovery of all our infected patients and health care workers,” Versaldo said.

As of January 24, the Department of Health (DOH) - Davao Center for Health Development has listed a total of 748 COVID-19 cases in Davao Oriental, 125 of which, remain to be active cases in the province.

Meanwhile, Davao City still has highest number of COVID-19 cases in Davao region with a total of 10,974 recorded positives, 1,479 of which are still active; Davao del Norte with 2,229, with a total of 588 remaining active cases; Davao de Oro has a total of 822 recorded positives with 211 active cases; Davao del Sur with 1,158 recorded cases, 173 of which are active; and Davao Occidental with the least recorded positives in the region with 174 total of positives, while 16 of it are tagged as active cases.

Warren Elijah Valdez

Davao Oriental medical center temporarily closed due to COVID-19 infections