Dr. Elizabeth Samama, Maguindanao provincial health chief. (Photo courtesy of Maguindanao IPHO)
COTABATO CITY – At least 183 police applicants in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are currently in isolation after testing positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the provincial health officer said Monday.
Dr. Elizabeth Samama, Maguindanao health chief, said the new infections include 180 police applicants and four uniformed police officers.
It was unclear where they contracted the virus but their infections were confirmed after subjecting them to Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction tests, Samama said.
The police applicants, who came from the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi are now isolated inside the Notre Dame of Parang High School compound in Parang, Maguindanao.
“We are still investigating the history of travel of all applicants,” Samama said, adding that the swab test was one of the requirements before a medical certificate is issued to applicants.
On September 5, at least 34 police applicants were infected with the virus and were isolated inside the same camp. They all recovered from the virus.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health in the Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao (MOH-BARMM) reported that 79 patients have also recovered from the disease on Sunday, raising the number of patients who recovered to 1,414.
Since March this year, BARMM has 1,987 cumulative cases after 126 new infections were reported as of Sunday night. Active cases are at 503, with 70 deaths. (PNA)
