DOH urged: Conduct swab tests on cops manning areas with COVID-19 cases

Workers from the Cebu City Health Department take swab samples from residents of Sitio Callejon, Barangay Labangon where 25 COVID-19 patients are recorded. | Photo courtesy of Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella

CEBU CITY, Philippines — As the positive cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Cebu City had continued to rise, the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) said they would be asking the Department of Health (DOH) to also do swab tests to all the personnel manning the areas in the city with positive cases.

This despite the Regional Health Services (RHS) of the PRO-7 had been closely monitoring the health of all the policemen.

Police Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro, PRO-7 director, said the health of the policemen were also important especially that they had been more exposed and had been among those who had higher risks of contracting the virus.

“So that we would know who are having problem asymptomatic they maybe or not, we want to make sure that our people guarding those places are safe,” said Ferro.

Last Thursday, April 23, nine policemen were considered as persons under monitoring (PUM) after having influenza-like illness (ILI) and underwent swab testing.

Read more: 9 policemen assigned in Sitio Zapatera monitored for experiencing ILI

On Sunday, April 26, three more policemen experiencing ILI were also swab tested.

Ferro said the results had not yet been released, but they hoped that it would turn out negative of the virus.

Read more: RHS7 hospital readied for CV cops, who may test positive of COVID-19

He added that the the 12 policemen had been well since their immediate isolation in the RHS hospital in Camp Sotero Cabahug.

The close monitoring of RHS personnel on members, who get sick, has helped with the immediate recovery as per the advice of getting rest and of drinking appropriate medicines and vitamins.

However, Ferro said they would also want to be assured that no personnel had been carrying the virus unknowingly as it would be easier to spread in their organization which could be avoided if they would also be swab tested./dbs