Health workers and staff of the Ramiro Community Hospital who were in close contact with a “probable” coronavirus disease (COVID) 19 patient were placed under facility quarantine as precautionary measure while the province scrambles to contain a possible local transmission of the highly contagious disease.

Ramiro medical director Dr. Edgar Pizarras on Wednesday said that the hospital’s personnel who were in contact with the patient at the operating room and emergency room were quarantined at the health facility starting Tuesday.

The hospital has had a quarantine facility readied for its medical frontliners even before the country and province started to impose lockdown measures in mid-March.

“Before the lockdown of Bohol, nag-meeting na mi sa mga personnel sa Ramiro kung unsay himuon namo just in case if the pandemic will be coming to Bohol, so ga-identify na mi asa namo possible nga kabutangan sa among personnel just in case naay kaso na positive,” he said.

On Tuesday, Ramiro reported that it was handling a probable COVID-19 case, who was later identified as a 17-year-old girl from Tubigon who tested positive in two antibody rapid tests.

The girl however who was brought to the hospital for stomach pain did not show other symptoms and was later found out to be suffering from severe appendicitis prompting doctors to proceed with an appendectomy.

According Pizarras, it has already been their protocol to subject surgery patients to a rapid test as precautionary measure.

Those inside the operating room are also required to wear full personal protective equipment.

“Before ko mag-opera, mag-screening test g’yud ko kay at least kung mag-positive naa na tay measures and protocol ana aron ma-quarantine ang involved kung simbako mag-positive g’yud na then mag-transmit na sila sa infection,” he said.

The hospital meanwhile disinfected its emergency and operating rooms in accordance with protocols set by the Department of Health.

Earlier, Ramiro heaped praise from the public for its transparency in immediately announcing that it was handling a probable COVID-19 case.

The province currently has one active confirmed COVID-19 case, an overseas Filipino worker who has been quarantined since his arrival in the province on April 27.

If proven to be positive, the girl at the Ramiro hospital will be the second active case and possibly the first reported local transmission of the disease considering that she has no travel history. (R. Tutas)