A 43-YEAR old Police Non-Commissioned Officer from the Regional Health Service 9 in Western Mindanao on Thursday was recorded as the 23rd COVID-19 fatality in the 209,000-strong Philippine National Police, the Journal Group learned yesterday.
The PNCO, tagged as PNP Patient 7242, passed away 6 p.m. Thursday due to complications arising from the virus, said the PNP Health Service headed by Brigadier General Ronaldo E. Olay.
The official said that as of Friday, they recorded 36 new COVID-19 cases in the force, 15 of them coming from the National Capital Region Police Office; 8 from the Police Regional Office 3 in Central Luzon; 5 from the PRO6 in Western Visayas; and 2 each from PRO10 in Northern Mindanao and PRO11 in Southern Mindanao.
Olay said they also recorded 4 other patients from a PNP National Operational Support Unit, the PRO9 in Western Mindanao, PRO4-A in Calabarzon region and the Bangsamoro Administrative Region Police Regional Office.
Olay said the good news is that they also recorded 93 new COVID-19 recoveries on Friday bringing the total number of policemen who have recovered from the virus to 6,667.
The policemen who recovered from COVID-19 are now back on full duty status.
Since last March to date, there were a total of 7,220 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the police force, 530 of them described as ‘active cases.’
Last week, a retiring PNCO became the 22nd COVID-19 fatality in the 20 PNP.
Described as PNP Patient No. 6934, the fatality was described as a 55-year-old PNCO assigned at the Bangsamoro Administrative Region Police Regional Office
The 21st fatality was a 45-year-old PNCO from the Police Regional Office 4-A in Calabarzon region who expired last October 16.
The 20th fatality was identified as a 50-year-old PNCO from the National Capital Region Police Office while the 19th is a 51-year old PNCO from the Police Security and Protection Group.
