BY GILBERT P, BAYORAN
The Don Salvador Benedicto Memorial District Hospital (DSBMDH) in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, was placed on partial lockdown Monday after one of its doctors tested positive for Covid-19.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said yesterday that the doctor, an anesthesiologist, attended to a patient outside of his hospital and was exposed to another doctor performing an operation at a private hospital in Bacolod City, who also tested positive for Covid-19.
The anesthesiologist attended to a patient during an operation on July 23 at the DSBMDH.
Diaz, however, said the emergency room of DSBMDH remains open, for emergency cases only.
La Carlota City Mayor Rex Jalandoon posted on his social media account that a partial lockdown is now in effect at the DSBMDH, and contact tracing has been undertaken on those who had close contact with the doctor and his team, including three nurses and a utility worker.
Jalandoon added that they were immediately placed under quarantine four days after the operation while their respective households were placed on lockdown starting July 27.
He added that the nurses and 25 other secondary contacts, who have been exposed to the doctor who tested positive of the virus, will also be subjected to swab testing.
Pending the ongoing disinfection, Jalandoon said the hospital will not accept patients for admission and consultations.
Diaz said they will wait for the risk assessment of health experts after the completion of the disinfection of the hospital. If they will say that it is now safe to open tomorrow, then we will act on their recommendations, he added.
Diaz also reported that the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City, Negros Occidental, is now open for admission of patients, with its emergency room operational.
“Everybody is healthy at the TLJPH, except for the three doctors who earlier tested positive for Covid-19, and are now undergoing treatment,” Diaz said.*
