By Joseph B.A. Marzan
Another portion of the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) in Mandurriao district was closed after a worker tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) yesterday, August 11, 2020.
The WVMC uploaded to its Facebook page an advisory stating that starting Tuesday, its Integrated Laboratory, including the Sub-National Laboratory (SNL), will undergo decontamination after four Medical Laboratory Technologists contracted COVID-19.
The WVMC is one of the Sub-National Laboratories in the Philippines accredited by the Department of Health (DOH) to test specimens in detecting the presence of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus which causes COVID-19.
It is the primary testing center for COVID-19 test specimens from Iloilo City, and Iloilo, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Guimaras provinces.
“The public is hereby informed that effective today August 11, 2020 the WVMC Integrated Laboratory including the Sub national laboratory are undergoing decontamination following the confirmation that one of its Medical Laboratory Technologists is COVID-19 positive. WVMC is not receiving specimens for today. The temporary closure is already coordinated with the [DOH] Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit,” the WVMC said in its advisory.
The hospital said the infected workers are now in isolation.
“These health workers are now on isolation and provided the appropriate clinical management. Please bear with the absence of our out-patient laboratory services today until further notice as total cleaning and disinfection are still on-going. WVMC SNL also assures that the remaining specimens received yesterday and today are being processed.”
In a press conference, DOH-Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-WV CHD) spokesperson Dr. Ma. Jocelyn Te said that the reopening will depend on hospital management.
“It depends on the assessment of their Infection Control Committee, until notification of the WVMC-SNL with us as to when they will resume their regular operations,” Te said.
This is the fourth time that a part of the hospital was placed under lockdown.
The first was imposed on the Orthopedic Department on July 3, 2020, after a non-COVID patient was confirmed with COVID-19 after routinary testing.
It was followed on July 15, 2020 by the non-COVID emergency room, radiology department, and two wards after a nurse, a radiological technologist, and several patients were confirmed with the disease.
The third partial lockdown was on Aug 4 which affected the OB Complex (Obstetrics, Emergency Room, Delivery Room, and OB and Gynecology, Eyes-Nose-Throat, and Ophthalmology wards), after a pregnant patient who was admitted to the delivery room tested positive for the virus.
