COVID-19 cases in PNP now at 499 — Gamboa

MANILA, Philippines — The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease in the Philippine National Police has risen to 499 with eight deaths.

“Law enforcement operations during the 75-day ECQ [enhanced community quarantine] period and the continuing GCQ [general community quarantine] have exposed our police personnel to the risk of infection such that there had been 499 confirmed COVID-19 cases among PNP personnel,” PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa said in a press briefing at Camp Crame on Monday.

Data from PNP as of 6 p.m. Sunday showed that the number of its personnel who have recovered from the disease is now at 288.

The figures rose from the June 19 data of the PNP where it reported that the number of COVID-19 cases in the police organization was at 456, with seven deaths and 276 recoveries.

With almost 60 percent recovery rate recorded by the PNP healthcare system, Gamboa said 155 fully-recovered personnel out of the 288 have been restored to “full-duty fit-to-work” status.

He said the rest of the PNP personnel who have recovered from the illness are just awaiting completion of the required quarantine and monitoring period.

Aside from these figures, there are also 661 probable and 875 suspected cases within the police agency.

Gamboa said the PNP is “reformulating” police response procedures to ensure the safety of the police and the general public as well to continue investigative investigative and detective services, and to strengthen and upgrade the PNP’s investigative function and capability.

“Even as some restrictions on mass transportation are eased effective today, the PNP will continue to be vigilant in enforcing the minimum health standards imposed by IATF on use of face masks, physical distancing, crowding, non-essential travel and other acts that inimical to public health,” the PNP chief added.

Through the initiative of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, the PNP will publish a revised First Responders’ Manual under the so-called new normal to emphasize the observance of minimum health standards in a crime scene, modified duty rotation of mobile and beat patrollers, orientation of health protocols, and proper use of protective equipment, according to Gamboa.

A similar Revised Manual for Police Investigators is also being finalized to better equip crime investigators with investigative tools and technology, not only to minimize the risk of exposure to COVID-19 but also to enhance the capacity to solve and monitor cases and serve court processes during the pandemic.

Nationwide, the number of COVID-19 cases has reached 30,052 as of Sunday, with the death toll marked at 1,169 and the number of recoveries at 7,893.

JE