Las Vegas Doctor Who Refused to Retire Dies Fighting COVID-19

May 11, 2020

An 81-year-old Filipino doctor in Las Vegas has passed away from COVID-19.

Dr. Arthur Tayengco reportedly continued seeing patients at his private practice situated along Charleston Blvd in Las Vegas despite having a higher risk of infection due to his age.

A dedicated physician for over half a century, the obstetrician-gynecologist ended his practice after he contracted the coronavirus.

In an interview with the Asian Journal, Dr. Tayengco’s eldest daughter Michele revealed that his passion for medicine kept him from retiring.

“I kept asking, ‘Don’t you want to retire yet?’ He would say, ‘No, I’m not done,’” Michele shared.

According to his family, Dr. Tayengco was infected in mid-March after two medical assistants at his office tested positive for COVID-19.

Delia Tayengco, the doctor’s ex-wife, shared that he then began showing known symptoms associated with the virus. Shortly after exhibiting a fever, cough and loss of taste, he tested positive for the disease.

After self-isolating at home for a few weeks, he asked to be taken to the hospital on April 5. Dr. Tayengco stayed in the hospital for 16 days before he was transferred to hospice care on April 21. He passed away in the early hours of April 22.

Born in Iloilo City, Philippines on October 18, 1938, Dr. Tayengco earned his medical degree in Manila before coming to the United States in the early 60s to practice his OB-GYN residency at St Clare’s Hospital And Health Care Center in New York.

He pursued pathology and then also completed a fellowship at Nassau County Medical Center.

Dr. Tayengco, who became the first practicing Filipino doctor in Las Vegas to die from COVID-19 is survived by his daughters, his ex-wife and his four sisters.

Feature Image via Remembering the Global Medical Heroes of Covid-19

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