Community hospital in Negros Oriental placed under lockdown

by Raffy Cabristante, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 12 Sep 2020

DUMAGUETE CITY – Another community hospital in Negros Oriental has been placed under lockdown to prevent the possible transmission of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Dawis Community Primary Hospital (DCPH), which is located in southern Bayawan City, was ordered temporarily closed after one of its nurses showed flu-like symptoms, said provincial Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) ground commander Dr. Liland Estacion on Friday (September 10).

Estacion said the nurse had traveled to Negros Occidental where a spike in coronavirus cases had been recorded.

Even though it hasn’t been confirmed if the nurse was indeed infected with COVID-19, at least 17 of her colleagues were put under quarantine, along with some patients and their watchers.

All of them are scheduled to undergo swab testing, Estacion said.

She noted that the DCPH is Negros Oriental’s biggest community hospital in terms of income, adding that it has also been recommended to be upgraded into a district hospital.

With a 10-bed capacity, DCPH mainly serves Dawis village in Bayawan City, as well as the neighboring communities in Mabinay, Sta. Catalina, and part of Bais City.

The DCPH is the second community hospital in the province to be placed under lockdown because of the threat of COVID-19.

Late last August, the Inapoy Community Primary Hospital (ICPH) in Mabinay town was also locked down after its chief nurse, who hails from neighboring Negros Occidental, died and later tested positive for the COVID-19.

Estacion also announced that Negros Oriental recorded one new coronavirus case on Friday. The case involved a 32-year-old locally stranded individual (LSI) from northern Canlaon City.

The LSI was repatriated from Pasay City through a mercy flight from Manila and was tested after experiencing a cough, Estacion said.

Negros Oriental also reported two COVID-19 recoveries involving a 23-year-old female LSI from Bindoy town who was repatriated from Cebu City, and a 33-year-old overseas Filipino worker (OFW) from Bacong town.

As of September 10, Negros Oriental reported a total of 147 COVID-19 cases. Of this number, there were 129 recoveries, 14 active cases, and four deaths.

/MUF