PGH spox says at least 1,100 health workers infected with COVID-19

Since January 1 this year, at least 1,100 healthcare workers at the Philippine General Hospital have been infected with COVID-19, the hospital's spokesman said Friday.

In a radio interview, Dr. Jonas del Rosario said in the past week, almost 100 medical frontliners have contracted the virus. He said most COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers are mild cases.

"Itong past week po, ang tinitingnan namin almost 100 healthcare workers ang nagiging COVID positive. Most of them po mild naman. Kaya pag tinally po namin, mula noong January 1, ngayon po ay January 14 na so two weeks na, siguro po may 1,100 at least kaming healthcare workers na nag-positive," Del Rosario said.

(In the past week, almost 100 healthcare workers tested positive for COVID-19. Most of them are mild cases. So if we tally, since January 1, we have at least 1,100 healthcare workers who got infected with COVID-19.)

According to the PGH official, they are not adopting yet the latest policy of shortened quarantine and isolation among healthcare workers, saying that the isolation is still at 10 days.

"Ang ginawa lang po naming pagbabago ay 'yung mga mayroong high risk exposure nagka-close contact pero fully vaccinated naman po sila, asymptomatic. Nag-adjust po kami, shinortened po namin 'yung quarantine. Kapag wala naman po silang symptoms ay pinababalik na po namin sa trabaho at everyday naman po ay binabantayan po namin ang kanilang mga symptoms," he said.

(The adjustment we made is if the healthcare worker has a high risk exposure to a COVID-positive but they are fully vaccinated and usually asymptomatic. We shortened their quarantine, if they have no symptoms, we allow them to report and we monitor their symptoms.)

Meanwhile, at present, there are a total of 314 admitted COVID-19 patients at the PGH.

"Sa ngayon po ang bilang, 314 patients po ang naka-admit sa PGH, lumagpas na po doon sa aming 300-bed capacity. Pero as always po pag ganyan, we have to open more beds, give more beds..." Del Rosario said.

(We have 314 COVID-19 patients admitted at the PGH. This already surpasses our 300-bed capacity. As always, we have to open more beds.)

"Kaya po ang nangyayari we have to convert some of our non-COVID beds back to COVID beds po," he added.

Del Rosario said the PGH temporarily suspended elective procedures except for those who are needing emergency treatment such as appendicitis, trauma, and other life-threatening cases. — RSJ, GMA News