Caloocan hospital closed for 2 days as doctor confirms positive for Covid-19

CALOOCAN City Mayor Oscar ‘Oca’ Malapitan on Sunday said he ordered a two-day closure of the Caloocan City Medical Center-North (CCMCN) to conduct a massive disinfection and cleaning outside and inside the facility after a resident doctor was confirmed positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 or Covid-19.

The closure will last until 8 a.m. on Tuesday by the time all its patients, who have been transferred to an adjacent facility, would be returned to their rooms and wards, Malapitan said.

For some Covid-19 patients, Malapitan said there were isolation tents beside the hospital that were set up exclusively for them.

Meanwhile, Malapitan told The Manila Times in a text message that residents, who would like to seek medical attention, could still go to the Caloocan City Medical Center South (CCMCS) along A. Mabini Street, Poblacion.

Malapitan said those living at Caloocan North, especially may visit the city’s health centers, go to other facilities in Quezon City or consult the city’s doctors by calling 0936-754-97-53.

“Our concerned health department personnel would immediately conduct massive disinfection and cleaning inside and outside the hospital to make sure that it would be safe for use again,” Malapitan said.

Malapitan said that while the unidentified resident physician tested positive, he remained asymptomatic of the disease.

“He has interacted with a number of health workers who have also been identified and ordered to go into self-quarantine,” Malapitan said.

Malapitan said Dr. Evelyn Cuevas, officer-in-charge of the City Health Department, was also confirmed positive for Covid-19 although she never showed any symptoms related to the deadly virus.

Even prior to her test, Cuevas had no known unprotected exposure to infected patients that was why she continued with her duty as the city’s top health officer and with permission from the Department of Health (DoH) not to go on self-quarantine at the time, Malapitan said.

He said Cuevas, however, has now isolated herself but still discharges her duty through telephone and other digital connections.