Over 700 healthcare workers, including 339 doctors, have contracted COVID-19, DOH says

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 17) — More than 700 doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers in the country have contracted coronavirus disease, the Department of Health said Friday in what is a three-fold increase from the number it reported last week.

The agency said 339 doctors have caught COVID-19 while 242 nurses tested positive. Some 22 health workers have died from the disease.

In total, 766 healthcare workers have been infected, the DOH said, without mentioning the other medical professionals who were part of the count.

The latest number is more than thrice the figure the DOH reported on April 8, when it said 252 health workers tested positive including 152 doctors and 63 nurses.

Health workers who have symptoms are included in the agency’s list of suspected COVID-19 patients.

The Philippine Medical Association earlier said fewer health personnel would have died from COVID-19 had there been more personal protective equipment available to them. The government has since ordered one million sets of PPE which have been arriving in batches over the past two weeks.