PMA confirms 50 cadets, food handlers positive for COVID-19

January 5, 2021

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) confirmed that 50 cadets and food handlers in Philippine Military Academy  (PMA) tested positive for COVID-19 disease.

"Based on our information those who were tested positive among the cadets including the food handlers have reached to 50," Maj. Gen. Edgar's Arevalo, AFP spokesman, said in a radio interview on Tuesday.

Arevalo said the 50 are asymptomatic and under a quarantine facility.

Arevalo said, according to PMA superintendent Maj. Gen. Ferdinand Cartojano, the virus inside the academy began from the food handlers.

"Based on their analysis and contract tracing it is actually the food handlers who are the carriers of the COVID-19 virus inside the Academy," he said.

"Unfortunately, we cannot avoid that there are food service crew that are needed to assist and provide services for our cadets while they conduct their education and training. Unfortunately they have to go outside and they were possibly infected based in the contact tracing of COVID-19 among our cadets," he added. Robina Asido/DMS