16 Central Visayas cops positive for COVID-19

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CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) ended its months-long streak of being coronavirus-free when at least 16 cops were confirmed to have the infection.

Police Brigadier General Ronnie Montejo, director of PRO-7, confirmed this in an interview with reporters on Friday, January 22, 2021.

“All of them are now under isolation and contact tracing is now ongoing,” said Montejo in Cebuano.

Out of the 16 confirmed cases from their department, 14 remained as active cases, or patients who are still infected with SARS-CoV-2, while two have already recovered, he added.

Montejo also said the COVID-afflicted police officers came from different localities in Central Visayas, including two in Bohol who recently tested positive for the virus, and another in Cebu City.

“Sources of their infection vary with some of them reported to have been in close contacts with previously confirmed cases, others got the virus from their respective households or in their workplaces,” he added.

On September 9, 2020, PRO-7 registered zero active COVID-19 cases. The regional police office was able to sustain this trend for nearly four months.

Recently, the Cebu City Police Office announced that a police officer assigned at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu for the Fiesta Señor celebration tested positive for COVID-19.

Montejo added that their office has directed all police stations to intensify surveillance through their Station Health Unit by monitoring all personnel’s health status.

“We also remind them to continue following health protocols especially when they go home from their respective work,” he said. /rcg

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