78 Immigration employees positive for COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration has recorded 78 cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 among its rank-and-file employees.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said in a statement Thursday that of the 78 employees who contracted the virus, 29 have already recovered and only one was admitted to a hospital.

He added that 44 immigration personnel who also tested positive of the virus but are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms are currently in quarantine facilities.

“We are still fortunate that none of our workers have succumbed to this virus,” Morente said.

BI Medical Section chief Dr. Marites Ambray meanwhile reported that there were 76 other employees who were earlier asked to undergo home quarantine after being identified as probable COVID-19 cases for having exposure to individuals who have the disease.

According to Ambray, 58 of these suspected COVID-19 carriers were already cleared and allowed to return to work while the 18 others are still undergoing isolation at their homes.

Due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the bureau, its Administrative Division recently ordered the mandatory wearing of face shields aside from face masks by all officials and employees when reporting for work in their respective offices.

Employees who do not wear both face masks and face shields will not be allowed to work and will be sent home.

The bureau’s main office in Intramuros, Manila has been undergoing regular disinfection since July as a preventive measure against COVID-19.

The immigration bureau earlier suspended its services for walk-in clients by launching an online appointment system to prevent congestion in its offices and so that its employees and the transacting public can observe physical distancing.

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