By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental’s provincial administrator, Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, said the province currently has no manpower shortage on its healthcare system even as more medical personnel have been infected with COVID-19.

According to Diaz, as of yesterday they have recorded a total of 73 healthcare workers who have been infected and have been referred to the province’s quarantine facility at the Mambukal Resort in Murcia town.

Seventeen of the 73 healthcare workers are from the town of Isabela, he said.

Based on the initial findings made by contact tracers, the workers got the infection at home rather than in their workplace.

Diaz has already called for a study to be carried out.

Meanwhile, the provincial government is also continually hiring more nurses, with the latest batch being hired last Tuesday.

They have also sent additional medical personnel to the quarantine facilities in Silay City and E.B. Magalona town to augment existing staff there.

As for the province’s COVID-19 bed availability, the Valladolid District Hospital has seven available beds with an 89 percent occupancy rate; Cadiz District Hospital with four beds and 95 percent occupancy rate; and the Valeriano M. Gatuslao Memorial Hospital in Himamaylan City with 23 beds with a 54 percent occupancy rate.

The ongoing renovation of the annex building of the Cadiz District Hospital has also been stepped up in order for it to be re-opened in order for it to handle COVID-related patients only, thus improving the province’s COVID-19 bed capacity./DGB, WDJ