(Eagle New) — The Philippine National Police on Sunday, March 21, reported an additional death among its police personnel due to COVID-19, pushing the PNP COVID-19 death toll to 36.
In a separate statement, PNP officer-in-charge Guillermo Eleazar said the 36th PNP COVID-19 fatality was a female police commissioned officer assigned as a document examiner and as one of the team leaders of the Valenzuela City Scene of the Crime Operations.
Eleazar said she was pregnant when she tested positive for COVID-19 on March 12.
“She was immediately quarantined at Arkong Bato quarantine facilty then transferred at Dr. Jose Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center and was admitted on March 17, 2021 due to difficulty of breathing” Eleazar said.
On March 18, she was hooked to mechanical ventilator for oxygen support.
Citing information from her OB-in-charge, Eleazar said she had seizures on March 19, and was extubated twice.
“At about 5:00 AM, decreased heart rate was noted. Epinephrine was given 12 times. However, even with resuscitation and medications given she expired. At around 5:38 a.m. (March 20), she was declared dead, with her unborn child” Eleazar said.
Eleazar expressed his condolences over the “untimely demise” of the officer, assuring the family of “full financial support” and “social benefits” from the PNP.
He urged all personnel to strictly observe the minimum health safety protocols, “most especially the pregnant police officers who are working from home,” noting that they were “more vulnerable to COVID-19 infections and other highly pathogenic respiratory infections. ”
“They must take extra precautions and should they feel COVID-19 symptoms or think they have been exposed to an infected person, they should immediately call their doctor and follow his or her advice” Eleazar said.
Meanwhile, 114 additional COVID-19 cases also pushed the PNP COVID-19 total to 13,010.
Of the 13,010, PNP data said 1,300 were active.
Fifty-two additional recoveries pushed the PNP COVID-19 recovery total to 11,674.
