23 COVID-19 cases recorded by AFP have fully recovered — Arevalo

MANILA, Philippines — Twenty-three of the 33 cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) confirmed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) among its ranks, as well as dependents and employees, have fully recovered.

During the Laging Handa briefing on Tuesday, AFP spokesperson Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo said the remaining 10 are still confined in hospitals.

Arevalo, however, did not mention if the remaining 10 patients were soldiers, civilian employees, or dependents.

“Sa ngayon po ang natitira na lang po na mga naka-confine natin sa ating ospital ay sampu na lang. Twenty-three of them na mga nag-positibo, lahat ito ay magaling na, fully recovered at nakabalik na sa kani-kanilang trabaho,” Arevalo said.

(Right now, there are only 10 patients left who are confined in hospitals. The 23 of them who tested positive are now fully recovered and have gone back to work.)

Arevalo on Monday said that out of 33 confirmed coronavirus cases in the military, civilian personnel and dependents, 22 were soldiers on active duty.

READ: 22 soldiers test positive for coronavirus

The military spokesperson said that 111 soldiers and four dependents were recorded as probable cases while 141 soldiers and 21 dependents were considered as suspected cases.

“We’re giving these figures out just to establish the point na ang inyo pong mga sundalo, na sa kabila ng kinakaharap na paglaban, may namamatay sa ating hanay na mga bayani sa pakikipaglaban sa Abu Sayyaf, sa mga New People’s Army. Meron pa tayong pinaglalabanan, ito po yung COVID-19,” he said in an online news conference Tapatan.

(We’re giving these figures out to establish the point that your soldiers, while risking their lives to fight the Abu Sayyaf and New People’s Army, are also battling COVID-19.)

As of April 20, there are 6,459 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, with the death toll reaching 428.

READ: Over 600 COVID-19 patients recover in PH – DOH