62 staff, 13 patients infected with Covid-19 at NCMH

FILE: Health Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire in a press briefing Monday (Feb. 17, 2020) says there has been a downtrend in the number of persons under investigation (PUIs) for possible coronavirus disease. (PNA photo by Ma. Teresa Montemayor)

MANILA – An official of the Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday reported 75 confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) at the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH).

“Ang 62 po dito ay empleyado ng NCMH at 13 naman po ay (The 62 are NCMH employees and the 13 are) psychiatric patients,” DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a Covid-19 virtual presser.

Out of the confirmed cases, four employees and one patient have already recovered.

Vergeire said the NCMH employees who are positive of Covid-19 but are asymptomatic are under home quarantine and are monitored by the DOH daily.

“Samantala, ang mga healthcare workers na nakakitaan symptoms ay naka-admit sa iba’t ibang ospital. Ang mga psychiatric patients naman na nagpositibo ay nasa pangangalaga ng (Meanwhile, the healthcare workers with symptoms are admitted in different hospitals. The psychiatric patients who are positive are under the care of the) NCMH,” she added.

The DOH earlier reported 140 new persons infected with Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 6,599.