Frontliner in Davao City hospital dies of COVID-19

An administrative personnel of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City succumbed to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Wednesday morning.

According to Raul Tolibas' report on Super Radyo dzBB, the newest fatality brought the death toll in the hospital to two with the first fatality having died last week.

The death was confirmed by SPMC director Dr. Leopoldo Vega who said that the patient was part of the announced 12 frontliners who tested positive for the virus while on duty in the hospital.

FLASH REPORT: Isa na namang frontliner ng Southern Philippines Medical Center sa Davao City, namatay kaninang umaga dahil sa COVID-19; dalawa na ang namatay na frontliner sa naturang ospital. | via Raul 'Oyo Boy' Tolibas, Super Radyo Davao pic.twitter.com/iWLPXVlF2H

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) April 15, 2020

Of these, eight were doctors and nurses while four were non-medical personnel of the SPMC.

Davao Mayor Sara Duterte earlier said she would donate her one-year salary to aid the COVID-positive frontliners of SPMC as she felt responsible for having urged the Department of Health to use the SPMC as a COVID-19 testing facility.

Meanwhile, the nationwide tally has reached 5,453 with 349 deaths and 353 recoveries. —Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News