A total of 49 police officers have recovered from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), raising the police force’s recovery count to 29,206 as of Saturday.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) Health Service said this is equivalent to a 96-percent recovery rate out of a total of 30,434 infections since the start of the pandemic.
It also logged 106 new cases, raising the active case tally to 1,144.
Two more police officers, meanwhile, succumbed to the disease, pushing the total death count to 84.
The 83rd fatality is a 51-year-old police lieutenant assigned in Tuguegarao City. On July 23, he went to a clinic for consultation because of fever, body malaise, and sore throat. On the same day, he underwent a laboratory examination and swab test.
On July 25, he was advised to proceed to their quarantine facility after his swab test yielded a positive result. On July 27, he experienced difficulty in breathing and was provided with an oxygen inhalation apparatus. He died on July 30.
The 84th fatality is a 42-year-old police staff sergeant assigned in Camp Crame. On July 6, he was hospitalized due to kidney malfunction and tested negative for Covid-19 upon his admission.
On July 13, he repeated his swab test, which yielded a positive result. He was then transferred to the Covid-19 ward of the hospital. On July 29, he experienced difficulty in breathing and was intubated but later died.
“Lubos po akong nakikiramay sa pamilya ng ating mga namatay na pulis at ano man pong tulong na aming makakaya ay amin pong ipaaabot sa inyo (I deeply sympathize with the families of our deceased policemen and we will extend all forms of assistance to them),” PNP Chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, said in a statement.
Meanwhile, a total of 48,993 PNP personnel have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, while 43,532 have been fully vaccinated.
Clean up stations vs. Delta variant
Eleazar reminded police offices and units to ensure cleanliness and orderliness in their respective stations amid the threat of the Covid-19 Delta variant.
“Dapat siguraduhin ng lahat ng mga police commanders na maayos at malinis ang kanilang istasyon upang mas maging ligtas ang mga pulis laban sa Covid-19 (All police commanders must ensure that their stations are orderly and clean so that the police would be safer from Covid-19),” he said.
Eleazar also ordered police commanders to ensure that their men are always provided with protective gear, especially when they are deployed to man quarantine control points or are tasked to conduct patrols.
“Hindi dahil nabakunahan na tayo ay hindi na tayo maaaring dapuan ng Covid-19. Ibayong pag-iingat at mahigpit na pagsunod sa minimum public health safety standards at quarantine protocols pa din ang ating kailangan (Just because we have been vaccinated does not mean that we can no longer contract Covid-19. We should exercise utmost caution and strict adherence to minimum public health safety standards and quarantine protocols),” Eleazar said.
Source: Philippines News Agency