10 more cops catch COVID-19 as PNP cases soar to 214

Members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) line up for swab specimen collection at the Caloocan City Hall on May 6, 2020. INQUIRER/GRIG C.MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — Ten more police officers have contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), increasing the total number of cases in the Philippine National Police (PNP) to 214.

In its daily monitoring report, PNP Health Service said Friday that 144 out of 214 are active cases which means they are under strict health monitoring in the nation’s police force.

Of the 144, 94 are staying in different quarantine facilities; seven are being treated in hospitals while 43 are subjected to home quarantine.

Meanwhile, the number of recovered police personnel remained at 66 while COVID-19 fatalities in PNP stood at four.

PNP Health Service said it is monitoring 703 probable cases and 450 suspects within the police force. Probable are those with pending laboratory results for COVID-19 tests while suspects are those with COVID-19 symptoms but have yet to be tested for the novel coronavirus, the virus that causes the respiratory disease.

Meanwhile, PNP Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said in a statement that the PNP Headquarters Support Service will also conduct disinfection and decontamination in all offices of Camp Crame, PNP Headquarters on May 18.

Banac said it is an additional effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease in the PNP.