THE Philippine National Police Health Service yesterday recorded another 150 new COVID-19 cases in the force, 55 of them coming from the National Capital Region Police Office, the Journal Group learned.
The others are: 32 from different PNP National Administrative Support Units (NASUs); 22 from various PNP National Operational Support Units or NOSUs; 15 from the Police Regional Office 2 in Cagayan Valley; 14 from the PRO4-A in Calabarzon region; 10 from PRO8 in Eastern Visayas; and 1 each from PRO4-B in Mimaropa region and the PNP National Headquarters in Camp Crame.
As of 6 p.m. Friday, there were a total of 3,901 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the PNP with 16 deaths and 2,707 recoveries.
PNP medical experts are also monitoring the cases of 660 police officers and men who have been described as Probable Persons Under Investigation or PUIs and 2,962 others who have been tagged as Suspected PUIs.
This week, the PNP recorded its 16th COVID-19 fatality, a 52-year old Police Non-Commissioned Officer assigned with the National Police Training Institute-National Training Center. The cop passed away last August 17, according to the PNP-HS now headed by Colonel Arthur Cabalona.
Last July 20, a Mindanao-based policeman died due to severe medical condition and confirmed COVID-19 infection making him the 15th policeman to succumb to death after contracting the killer virus since last March.
The policeman was identified as Corporal Magdar Sali, a 52-year-old member of the Panglima Sugala Municipal Police Station in Tawi-Tawi.
The cop passed away while under confinement at the Datu Halun Sakilan Memorial Hospital due to acute myocardial infraction. The other significant conditions which contributed to his death were confirmed COVID-19, severe pneumonia and diabetes.
Cpl. Sali was subjected to a swab test last July 14, with a positive result released 13 days later. It was only last August 18 that the nurse-in-charge of the Tawi-Tawi Provincial Health Service received the result of the RT-PCR test and the copy of the policeman’s death certificate.
On Thursday last week, the PNP recorded its 14th COVID-19 death since last March after it confirmed the passing away of a member of the PNP Aviation Security Group who contracted the killer virus last August 12.
PNP spokesman, Brigadier General Bernard M. Banac said that the 14th fatality is a 45-year old male non-commissioned officer. The cop’s death was reported more than a week after the 13th fatality was identified as Staff Sergeant Edgardo Medrano of the Manila Police District headquarters.
The policeman died due to acute pneumonia critical to COVID-19 virus infection while undergoing treatment at the C.T. Reyes Hospital in Tanauan City in Batangas, said National Capita Region Police Office director, Major General Debold M. Sinas.
SSgt. Medrano became the 3rd member of the NCRPO to die due to COVID-19.
The 12th PNP fatality was described as a 49-year-old personnel of the PNP Finance Service who expired in a private hospital.
The 11th fatality was identified as a 49-year old male Non-Commissioned Officer from the Northern Police District who expired last July 24. The 10th is a 46-year old Police Commissioned Officer assigned at the PNP national headquarters who expired in a hospital two Wednesdays ago.
PNP Deputy Chief for Administration and concurrent commander of the PNP Administrative Support to COVID-19 Operations Task Force, Lieutenant Gen. Camilo Pancratius P. Cascolan said he has ordered the PNP-HS to further improve their handling of COVID-19 patients.
