MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration on Wednesday said 46 of its employees contracted the coronavirus.
Of these, nine have already recovered while 37 remain as active cases. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the patients are isolated in government facilities.
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Morente said only one immigration employee is confined and recovering in a hospital.
BI has not recorded any COVID-19 fatality among its personnel.
Morente said that half of those who contracted the virus are assigned at the main office in Intramuros. “The rest are stationed in other places such as the international airports in Pasay and Cebu, and the bureau's satellite and extension offices in Metro Manila, and elsewhere nationwide,” the statement read.
The BI chief also said that there were initially 93 suspected COVID-19 cases among its personnel but half of them were already cleared and tested negative for the coronavirus after undergoing home quarantine.
Immigration personnel are among the government’s frontliners, as they also man ports across the country.
The national COVID-19 caseload hit 139,538 on Tuesday. Active cases stood at 68,794; 91.6% of which were deemed mild cases.
Recovery is at 68,432 while death toll is recorded at 2,312. — Kristine Joy Patag