Around 530 health workers including nurses, consultants, fellows, doctors, and aides of UST Hospital were placed under quarantine due to exposure to patients suspected or diagnosed with coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
UST Hospital released a statement said that it would reduce admissions and postpone elective procedures in selected units due to a decrease in staff and increased patient admissions.
The Varsitarian reported that the hospital’s operation is also hampered due to the enhanced community quarantine, and that there was a shortage of personal protective equipment for its frontliners.
“To address the issues brought about by the depleted workforce, we have consolidated several wards in the Private and Clinical Division, temporarily held elective admissions and had to temporarily stop elective procedures in selected units,” the statement read.
The hospital’s Clinical Division Medical Ward was converted into COVID unit for patients who will test positive for the virus as well as patients under investigation (PUIs).
The UST Hospital staff and trainees will also go on alternating skeletal duty schedules to limit the risk pf getting exposed to COVID-19.
There are currently 380 cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines with 25 fatalities.
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