2 more COVID patients at CIW

MANILA, Philippines — Two more inmates at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), bringing to 21 the number of cases at the prison in Mandaluyong.

In a statement yesterday, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said two CIW inmates were tested at the same time as the 18 other COVID-positive inmates but their results were released only on Thursday.

The BuCor, which runs the country’s seven penal colonies, earlier said 18 inmates and one employee tested positive for the virus.

On Thursday, the BuCor confirmed that the disease spread to the New Bilibid Prison after one inmate at the NBP’s medium security compound tested positive.

The two COVID-positive CIW inmates would be transferred to the NBP’s quarantine area, Site Harry, in Muntinlupa “following strict transport protocols,” the BuCor said.

The Muntinlupa City government earlier opposed the BuCor’s move to transfer the 18 COVID-positive inmates to the quarantine area at the NBP’s medium security compound, saying residents could be at risk.

The BuCor said the site has walls 12 meters high and is 400 meters from the nearest residential area.

On Thursday, the city council passed a resolution opposing the transfer, which the councilors said was “done without prior consultation and coordination” with the city government and without the council’s prior approval.