Include detainees in localized mass testing for COVID-19, LGUs told

MANILA, Philippines — Local government units (LGUs) are advised to include possible carriers of COVID-19 in jails when conducting localized mass testing, an official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Friday.

DILG Spokesman and Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya asked LGUs to help the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in testing personnel and detainees for the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to advise local government units na may area na may jail doon na isama na rin nila yung jails in their jurisdiction dun sa ginagawa nating mass testing para matulungan natin ang ating Bureau of Jail Management and Penology,” Malaya said in an online press conference.

(I’d like to take this opportunity to advise local government units who have jails within their areas to include them in their mass testing to assist the BJMP.)

Malaya also asked mayors to prioritize suspected cases of COVID-19 in jails during the mass testing.

He cited that the Quezon City Health Office is also coordinating with the Quezon City Jail to monitor COVID-19 cases in the facility, which now has nine inmates diagnosed with coronavirus disease.

As of April 17, DILG said there are 134,748 inmates in BJMP-led jails nationwide. Of these, the Cebu City Jail Male Dormitory has the highest number of PDLs with 6,237.

EDV