16 cops from San Fernando Police station under isolation

CEBU CITY, Philippines — After having three arrested persons test positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), 16 policemen of the San Fernando Police Station in San Fernando town, northern Cebu are now under isolation.

Police Captain Efren Diaz, the chief of the San Fernando Police Station,  said that of the at least 30 personnel of the station, 16 were able to come in contact with the three inmates who were tested positive for COVID-19.

On Sunday, May 31, 2020, San Fernando Mayor Lakambini Reluya announced that the detention facility of the town was placed under lockdown after three of the inmates in the facility tested positive for COVID-19.

Read: San Fernando jail on lockdown as 3 inmates test positive for COVID-19

The three COVID-19-positive inmates were arrested last January for different cases, among them were illegal drugs and rape.

According to Diaz, the 16 who are under isolation are so far in good health. They will remain under isolation for 14 days.

Of the 16, nine are isolated at the police station, four are at an isolation center in Barangay Poblacion, while three are under house quarantine.

12 of the 16 have already been swabbed. The results for the swab testing is expected to be out in a week.

To ensure continuous operation, Diaz said the station is waiting for at least 10 augmented personnel from the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) to fill in the posts of the 12 men under isolation.

Diaz assured the public that operations in the station would not be hampered despite some of the personnel being under isolation.

“The usual tasks are being handled with my supervision,” said Diaz. /bmjo