(Eagle News) – At least 96 personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) have tested positive for COVID-19, while three others have died, police chief PPGen Archie Francisco Gamboa said in a virtual presser on Thursday, April 30.
“The latest count as of today is that 96 PNP personnel were confirmed infected, 12 of who have since recovered while three died”, Gamboa said on Thursday.
Gamboa assured that police frontliners are being provided with proper protective equipment, training, and best practices in bio-safety, as well as supportive healthcare, which “have been relatively effective in providing our personnel with a margin of safety against exposure while on duty.”
As part of these efforts is the establishment of four mega Emergency Quarantine Facilities which were formally unveiled on April 30 in Camp Crame.
“With a total capacity of 120 beds, these quarantine facilities here in Camp Crame are designed to complement the capacity of hospitals and medical institutions”, Gamboa said.
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He added that the PNP will develop its own COVID-19 testing center in its existing DNA laboratory and at the PNP General Hospital, which can process 150 to 200 tests per day.
“We completed our first RT-PCR Testing Laboratory and at least four (4) personnel from PNP Health Service and Crime Laboratory are now undergoing training that will be in-charge to handle it”, the PNP chief stated.
– Decrease in number of ECQ violators noted –
Gamboa said that per the PNP’s assessment on the past 44 days since the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) was implemented, “there has been a significant decrease in the number of violators particularly during the period of the first extension in the 3rd and 4th weeks of April.”
“These are encouraging signs of how the people will eventually adapt to the “new normal”,” Gamboa said.
He said that the PNP has laid down an action plan to strategize police operations and administration in areas under extended ECQ, including Metro Manila, as well as in areas which will be under general community quarantine (GCQ) starting Friday, May 1.
Eagle News Service
