The chief of the Caloocan City health department was confirmed positive of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) on Thursday after a test conducted by the Department of Health (DOH), the office of the city mayor said.
Caloocan Mayor Oscar Malapitan expressed deep regret over the development.
This developed as Malapitan and the Philippine Red Cross signed a memorandum of agreement to start COVID-19 mass testing in the city.
The mayor signed the MOA with Sen. Richard Gordon, PRC head, for the COVID-19 confirmatory testing for Caloocan residents.
The doctor, whose name was withheld, reportedly got a swab test last Thursday following a DOH order under Memorandum No. 2020-0151 in March, requiring all health workers even without symptoms but with possible exposure to COVID-19 to undergo testing.
During the test, the health official showed no symptoms and stated no unprotected known exposure.
Malapitan said that under the DOH memo and after a consultation that same day, the doctor was not required to undergo quarantine, so he continued doing his function as city health chief.
Unfortunately, it turned out he became positive of the COVID-19 virus despite remaining asymptomatic.
He was placed immediately under quarantine but continues to do his job using digital connections and through telephone, the mayor said.
Malapitan said the city government is ready to support the fight of the health official and his family, as well as the nurses and other frontliners in rendering service to the people of Caloocan.
During the signing, the mayor agreed to shell out an initial P5 million to the PRC for its services in an effort to control the spread of the virus in the city.
“If needed, the city will give additional money for the services of the agency,” Malapitan said.
"Tulad ng panawagan ng ating national government, kailangan nating mag-Bayanihan upang malagpasan natin ang krisis na dulot ng COVID 19. Mahalagang masimulan na ang mass testing sa ating lungsod upang makontrol ang virus at tuluyan nang maging COVID 19-free ang Caloocan," the mayor said.
Some city hall health personnel will undergo training with the PRC for the swabbing test, but those who know this already can now start getting specimens from suspected victims, he added.
The DOH recently approved the accreditation of the PRC to conduct confirmatory testing for COVID-19.
