The Canlaon District Hospital in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental has temporarily shut down after one of its staff had come into contact with a person who tested positive of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Liland Estacion, in a press briefing late Monday afternoon, said that Gov. Roel Degamo directed the hospital on Sunday evening to refrain from accepting patients and turn it instead into a quarantine facility.

Estacion said that one of the hospital staff had come into contact with a tricycle driver who later turned out to be positive of the coronavirus.

The tricycle driver is the husband of a front-liner in Canlaon City who was earlier reported to be infected with the virus.

There are around 16 staff who were asked to stay in the hospital for the mandatory quarantine period as a pre-emptive measure to avoid exposing their respective families to the risk of Covid-19 infection, Estacion said.

The subject staff had reported for duty at the hospital after her exposure to the tricycle driver, she added.

Three of the staff were diagnosed to be reactive to the rapid diagnostic test (RDT) but all of them will be throat-swabbed today and tomorrow (Tuesday), Estacion said.

There are currently no new patients at the Canlaon District Hospital as they were all discharged earlier, she said

“We will not say that it is a lockdown but consider it as a quarantine facility instead,” the doctor said.

Estacion said the needs of the quarantined staff are being met, such as food, while contact tracing teams will be sent tomorrow. (PNA)