MANILA, Philippines – At least four personnel of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) are now being monitored for possible exposure to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), NCRPO director Police Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas said on Tuesday.
According to Sinas, now being monitored are two non-uniformed personnel who just came back from Japan, a police officer who frequently visited the Muslim prayer room in Greenhills, San Juan, and a police officer from the Southern Police District (SPD) whose wife had recently made a trip abroad.
All have complied with the NCRPO’s self-quarantine requirement, Sinas said.
With the threat of COVID-19 still looming, Sinas said NCRPO personnel are now temporarily prevented from taking foreign trips, especially to countries with registered COVID-19 cases.
“The chief PNP is considering banning all foreign travels ng mga personnel, NCRPO will already implement the directive na wala munang magtravel abroad particularly sa areas na may affectations, para hindi rin tayo maka-hawa,” Sinas said in a press briefing at the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Station 10 in Kamuning.
Japan posted one of the highest COVID-19 cases in Asia, with 514 incidents and nine deaths, while the Diamond Princess cruise ship previously docked at the Yokohama harbor had registered 696 cases and seven deaths.
Meanwhile, the country’s 5th COVID-19 case, a 62-year-old man, was reported to have frequented the Muslim prayer room in Barangay Greenhills
READ: Wife of 62-year-old coronavirus patient also tests positive for COVID-19
As of Tuesday morning, there are 112,747 COVID-19 cases and 4,009 deaths across the world, with most of the incidents coming from China, its place of origin.
On Monday night, President Rodrigo Duterte announced that the cases in the country have risen to 24, from just 10 over the weekend, forcing him to declare a state of public health emergency and to suspend classes all over Metro Manila.
READ: Coronavirus cases in Philippines soar to 24
READ: Duterte declares emergency as COVID-19 cases double