COVID sweeps OCD, infects more than 100 employees

MANILA, Philippines—More than 100 employees of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Camp Aguinaldo, an office at the forefront of disaster response, had tested positive for SARS-Cov2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

OCD spokesperson Mark Timbal on Thursday (Aug. 26) said the office building in Quezon City has been temporarily closed for disinfection until Aug. 30.

A total of 116 out of 218 employees, who were tested, had been infected by the virus. Eighty-five are waiting for results, while 17 have tested negative.

The OCD has a total of 380 employees. All have already been vaccinated.

At least 80 percent of those who tested positive showed no symptoms but had been brought to a quarantine facility.

“This is the first time that we had this large number of positives,” Timbal said.

“The last time we had RT-PCR for the central office skeletal team, only six persons tested positive and were all asymptomatic,” he said.

The OCD is currently arranging tests for families of the infected employees.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) will continue running its 24-hour operations center.

Timbol said the NDRRMC “will continue to provide regular DRRM monitoring and coordination services.”

TSB