The surge of COVID-19 cases in Bontoc has led to an emergency hiring of health workers and shortage in hospital beds.
The surge of COVID-19 cases in Bontoc, Mountain Province has led to a shortage in healthcare workers and hospital beds, an official said on Tuesday.
Dr. Ruby Constantino, the director of the Cordillera Center for Health Development, told ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo that a new building that was intended for drug rehabilitation will be utilized in order to accommodate 75 mild and asymptomatic patients who had tested positive for COVID-19.
Constantino added that the province was awaiting a go-signal for the emergency hiring of health workers.
“As of the report po kahapon, ‘yung kanilang hospital, Bontoc General Hospital, ay talagang puno na, pati ang kanilang TTMF (temporary treatment and monitoring facility),” Constantino said.
READ ALSO: DOH Confirms Local Transmission Of UK COVID-19 Variant In Bontoc
Constantino also said that there were 6 healthcare workers who had contracted COVID-19 as per the report yesterday.
The Department of Health earlier confirmed local transmission of UK COVID-19 variant in Bontoc, following 12 reported coronavirus cases.
However, Constantino said that they can’t say that there’s already a community transmission as it’s localized and it’s premature to say that there’s a community transmission if the coronavirus cases were concentrated in only 4 barangays.
Constantino added that the local government was expected to extend its lockdown on 4 affected barangays for another two weeks.
The local government has yet to make an announcement as of this writing.
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Meanwhile, Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey had issued free mass testing in some barangays and directed the mandatory testing of government workers.
In a report on ABS-CBN News, Mayor Franklin Odsey and Vice Mayor Eusebio Kabluyen had tested positive for the coronavirus disease.
Constantino said that the town had reported 413 coronavirus cases, with 195 active cases as of Monday.
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