42 police trainees in Calapan tested positive for COVID-19

August 11, 2020

Forty two more police trainees from the Calapan City Police Station tested positive from coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the city mayor said on Tuesday.

In a statement, Mayor Arnan Panaligan said they received the results of the PCR testing from Philippine Red Cross molecular laboratory in Batangas City.

“The 42 new positive cases are in addition to the first police trainee who was infected by the virus,” Panaligan said.

Panaligan said all police trainees are now isolated at the City Treatment and Isolation Facility in their City Hall Complex.

“One good aspect of this incident is the confirmed COVID-19 positive cases are confined or limited to one group of police trained only that were already on quarantine status last August 4,” he added.

Earlier, Panaligan placed the Calapan City Police Station on a temporary lockdown.

According to Mimaropa regional police last Sunday, five police personnel and one non-uniformed personnel also tested positive for COVID-19.

Due to the incident, they requested the Regional IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) to also temporarily place the city under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) for 14 days starting August 13.

“We need to go back to MECQ so that we can intensify our contact tracing. Remember that the 42 police trainees went on duty before they were placed under quarantine,” Panaligan said. Ella Dionisio/DMS