MANILA, Philippines — Forty-three more cadets at the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) have tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), as the 236 cadets and 13 school personnel who previously contracted the virus have already recovered.
PNPA director Maj. Gen. Gilberto Cruz said in a statement Friday that the new patients are close contacts of the previous COVID-19 cases at the academy.
According to Cruz, the new cases were recorded following the second wave of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction tests administered on 1,451 cadets and personnel of the PNPA on September 28.
PNPA spokesperson Lt. Col. Byron Allatog confirmed in a phone interview with INQUIRER.net that the patients who tested positive in the second batch of tests are all cadets.
Cruz said that among the 38 personnel who are newly-assigned to the PNPA, four were also confirmed to have been infected with the coronavirus prior to their assumption of duties.
He said the PNPA leadership has assured coordination with the respective local government units to ensure that appropriate actions will be taken.
“To the parents and families of our cadets and personnel, we would like to assure you that your loved ones are well taken care of. Nevertheless, we are still asking for your prayers for their fast and total recoveries,” Cruz said.