Refocusing Perspectives

A. MENTAL HEALTH (Updated) DOH confirms 75 covid positive cases at the National Center for Mental Health (62 employees, 13 psych patients) as of April 19. 5 of them have already recovered. Based on NCMH data meanwhile, there have been at least 8 deaths so far, all psych patients. Of this number, 62 are healthcare workers while 13 are psychiatric patients. Five of the confirmed cases have already recovered, four of whom are staff members while one is a patient. Last week, the department reported that 22 healthcare workers had succumbed to COVID-19 while 339 doctors and 242 nurses tested positive. (Julia Marie Ornedo, DOH confirms 75 COVID-19 infections at NCMH,GMANews.com, https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/734970/doh-confirms-75-covid-19-infections-at-ncmh/story/ GMAnews.com, 21 April 2020). There is also a total of 24 suspected cases (22 staff, 2 psych patients) and a substantial 370 probable cases (323 staff, 47 psych patients). The DOH defines probable cases as “a su...

Today, the World Health Organization declared nCOVID-19 as a pandemic disease.  But my country- the Philippines, is yet to produce test kits for health offices and hospitals as well as prepare extended facilities for massive confinements, should the worst scenario happens. As of March 11, 2020, there are 49 confirmed cases of patients diagnosed positive of nCOVID-19, 2 of whom died, and another 2 have recovered. In China and other countries where the pandemic transmitted fast, the figures are scaling up. A global tracker ( https://ncovid2019.live ) of cases cited the following figure as of early morning of March 11, 2020. Meanwhile, the UN and WHO urged states to act on the pandemic reasonably and based on its health standards. Today’s declaration of a #COVID19 pandemic is a call to action – for everyone, everywhere. It’s also a call for responsibility & solidarity – as nations united and as people united. As we fight the virus, we cannot let fear go...

I learned in-depth discussion on nCOVID-19 through MedCram (Youtube); from Twitter acquaintances offshore who were excellent in immediately sharing empirical information; and, from WHO and DoH. Above is a summarized practical tips on how to deal with this phenomenal and transmissible disease. Stay safe.