INSPECTION. A cyclist shows an ID to a Cainta police officer manning a checkpoint along Felix Avenue in Cainta, Rizal on Wednesday (August 5, 2020). Many workers ride bicycles to go to their workplaces as public transport has been suspended anew in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces under the modified enhanced community quarantine until August 18. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)
MANILA – The number of police officers infected with the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has reached 2,492.
As of 6 p.m. Sunday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Health Service reported 33 new confirmed Covid-19 cases among its ranks.
Meanwhile, a total of 1,563 personnel have recovered from the disease while the death toll remains at 12.
It is also monitoring 842 probable cases and 2,177 suspected cases.
More than 900 of the confirmed cases were from the National Capital Region (NCR) and were deployed as front-liners, particularly in the manning of control points and conducting patrol.
Gamboa said the Central Visayas, Region 4-A (Calabarzon) and Central Luzon police offices follow the NCR in the areas with the most number of Covid cases among cops.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said police officers who work directly with the medical workers and are deployed in the Covid-19 isolation facilities are immediately subjected to rapid tests at the end of their duties.
Año said measures are being done to decrease the chances of the cops, who are also considered as front-liners, from contracting the virus.
He said the cops on duty in these facilities and those accompanying health workers in "extracting" Covid-19 patients in the communities also wear personal protective equipment.
In case the police officers tested positive for Covid-19, Año said they would automatically undergo reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction testing.
Año added the relyebo (shifting) system is applied to the cops manning the isolation facilities and those accompanying the local health workers in contact tracing.
At the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Año said there are 97 active cases of the total 263 Covid-19 cases with three deaths. The Bureau of Fire Protection has 214 active cases and two deaths out of 1,600 Covid-19 cases. (PNA)
