Two more PNP personnel with COVID-19, bringing total to four

March 26, 2020

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said two personnel were tested positive for the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), its spokesman said.

This brought the number of cops infected with the COVID-19 virus to four.

In a statement last Wednesday night, Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac said one of the patients is a 32-year-old cop in Metro Manila while the other is a 52-year-old  in Laguna.

Both were found positive from the virus according to the  Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

“Both patients are now under home isolation and are being closely monitored by PNP doctors,” Banac said.

Banac said upon the recommendation of Police Brigadier General Herminio Tadeo Jr, director of the PNP Health Service, the offices where both patients are assigned are  under lockdown and subject to thorough disinfection to preclude the possibility of cross-contamination of other  personnel, who also have been ordered to undergo quarantine procedure.

Banac added extensive contact tracing are underway by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to identify persons who may have come in close contact with both patients, including civilians and other PNP personnel stationed in different offices.

Earlier, two cops tested positive from the virus, one from Manila Police District and one from the PNP Chaplain Service.

“We are instituting strict measures to prevent its spread among our back end and front line personnel, such as provision of minimum personal protective equipment for all frontline personnel; continuous contact tracing and self-quarantine; stringent social distancing,” Banac said.

Based on their data, a total of 709 police personnel have been classified as persons under monitoring (PUMs) for possible COVID-19 infection while 61 others are under investigation (PUIs). Ella Dionisio/DMS