2 Davao hospital employees die of COVID

DAVAO, Philippines — Two employees of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City have died of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

A female billing liaison officer of the hospital died last week while a male internal audit staff died yesterday, SPMC executive director Leopoldo Vega told The STAR.

The SPMC is one of two hospitals in Southern Mindanao designated to treat COVID-19 cases.

De Vega said 91 people suspected to be infected with the virus remain confined in the hospital.

In Pangasinan, a 54-year-old person under investigation for COVID-19 died at the Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan City in Pangasinan on Monday.

The provincial health office said eight patients have recovered.

In Cagayan, a suspected COVID-19 patient who died at the Cagayan Valley Medical Center last week, was negative for the virus, test results released on Tuesday showed.

PNP exec infected

Meanwhile, a police lieutenant, a resident of San Carlos City, also in Pangasinan, tested positive for the virus, results released on Monday showed.

San Carlos City Mayor Julier Resuello said the police official breached quarantine protocols because he did not go on self-quarantine while waiting for the result of his test.

The police official had himself tested on April 7, but visited checkpoints in Barangays Magtaking and Tandoc San Carlos and Barangay Ilang in Basista town on April 9 and 10 to distribute face masks.

The police officer was at his residence in San Carlos City on April 9 and went to Camp Crame on Monday.

A health worker from Bataan, who went to the Royal Choices duty free shop at the Subic Bay freeport, on Monday, tested positive for the virus.

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority closed the store in the past two days for disinfection.

The Olongapo City health office urged those who visited the store on Monday and Tuesday to report to the nearest health office for monitoring.

A 33-year-old male nurse at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center and a 77-year-old man are the 17th and 18th confirmed cases in Baguio City.

Barangay Pacdal, where the male patient resides, was placed on lockdown.

In Bulacan, six more cases were reported, bringing the total number of cases in the province to 69.

Two of the new cases are from Meycauayan City and one each from Calumpit, Guiguinto, Baliwag and San Jose del Monte City.

The Department of Health-Calabarzon regional office recorded 63 new cases on Tuesday. There are now 562 cases in the region.

Cavite has 115 cases; Laguna, 164; Batangas, 69; Quezon, 36, and Rizal, 178.

The state-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) volunteered its facility in Bagac, Bataan to house discharged patients who need to be quarantined for 14 days.

PSALM said it entered into an agreement with the municipal government of Bagac to use the Bagac Hotel and Conference Center free of charge.

In Butuan City, five Chinese citizens  and their three Filipino cohorts were arrested on Tuesday for illegal gambling.

Playing cards, a mahjong table, a mahjong set and bet money worth P27,730 were among those reportedly recovered from the suspects. – Ed Amoroso, Eva Visperas, Artemio Dumlao, Bebot Sison, Raymund Catindig, Ric Sapnu, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Danessa Rivera, Ben Serrano