BuCor reports 4 new COVID-19 cases at NBP

MANILA, Philippines — Three more inmates and a Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) employee at New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City have tested positive for the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19), bringing the total of confirmed cases in the seven prisons and penal colonies under the agency’s supervision to 58.

Dr. Henry Fabro, BuCor’s Health Services director and NBP Hospital chief, meanwhile, pushed for rapid mass testing for both inmates and bureau personnel, saying the slow release of ongoing COVID-19 test results could be to blame for the rapid spread of the virus.

Over the weekend, the BuCor said that two inmates from the medium-security compound and a third from the Reception and Diagnostics Center (RDC) had contracted the virus, along with an RDC employee.

Of the 58 confirmed cases, 53 are inmates—49 from the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City and four from the national penitentiary. The remaining five are personnel from either CIW or NBP. Two of the inmates from CIW and one from NBP have since died after being admitted at different hospitals.

Fifty of the inmates are currently in isolation at Site Harry, the BuCor’s quarantine facility at the medium-security compound. Their presence there, as well as the transfer of the CIW inmates from Mandaluyong City, has been protested by the Muntinlupa government, which has said they posed a risk to residents.

Also being kept at the quarantine facility are 56 inmates and 17 BuCor personnel who are probable cases.

BuCor inmates and personnel are currently undergoing PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests being conducted by the Department of Health (DOH) and Philippine Red Cross.

Fabro, however, lamented the “very slow” turnaround of test results, saying it took over 10 days to process a third batch of PCR tests done on 59 CIW prisoners and one employee when the DOH said it should take just four days.

“The key to our COVID-19 problem here is mass testing,” Fabros said.