BuCor: Two more inmates die of coronavirus

MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has announced that two more inmates from the prisons under its supervision have died due to the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19), even as sick and elderly prisoners wait for the government to rule on their plea to free them for humanitarian considerations.

A 72-year-old inmate from the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City died of the coronavirus at Santa Ana Hospital in Manila where she had been confined since April 13.

She was BuCor’s first confirmed COVID-19 case, resulting in contract tracing and the placement under quarantine of several inmates and personnel at CIW.

The BuCor also reported that a CIW inmate who died on April 21 while confined at East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC) in Quezon City came out positive for COVID-19.

According to the bureau, her cause of death was listed as sepsis, systemic lupus and pneumonia. Her COVID-19 test results were released six days after her death.

The patient had been in and out of EAMC since February because of her numerous ailments. She was admitted to the hospital only on April 13.

The BuCor’s first recorded COVID-19 fatality was an inmate from the New Bilibid Prison’s (NBP) medium security compound. He died on April 23 at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.

So far, around 49 cases have been recorded at CIW and one at NBP.