2 cops test positive for coronavirus disease — PNP

MANILA, Philippines — Two police officers have been infected with the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), Philippine National Police (PNP) said Wednesday.

PNP spokesperson Bernard Banac said results from the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City showed that specimens of the two police officers were positive for the respiratory disease.

The first patient is a 32-year-old officer assigned in Metro Manila who has been under home quarantine since March 14.

The second patient is a 52-year-old officer stationed in Laguna.

Both infected law enforcers are now under strict home quarantine and are being monitored by PNP medical workers.

The offices of the patients were placed under lockdown and were also disinfected as recommended by the PNP Health Service.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) will identify the close contacts of both patients.

According to Banac, the PNP Health Service is also monitoring 709 PNP personnel who are persons under monitoring and 61 PNP personnel who are persons under investigation.

Banac assured that the public that the PNP would implement strict measures within its ranks to contain the spread of the infectious disease.

“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 (PPE) for all frontline personnel; continuous contact tracing and self-quarantine; stringent social distancing including maximum use of teleconferencing of key leaders,” he said in a statement.

/atm