54 PCG personnel get coronavirus

MANILA, Philippines  — At least 54 employees of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) tested positive for  coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an official said yesterday.

Forty-two personnel have recovered while 12 are recovering, PCG commandant Vice Adm. George Ursabia said during yesterday’s Laging Handa program.

He said the 12 personnel in recovery are “asymptomatic” and he is optimistic that they will fully recover.

The PCG has required the conduct of regular reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction testing of its employees since the agency tied up with other government agencies in providing services to repatriated overseas Filipino workers and locally stranded individuals who wish to go back to their home provinces.

DENR on lockdown

Meanwhile, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu has ordered a lockdown of the entire central office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) along Visayas Avenue in Quezon City after two employees tested positive for COVID-19.

“The lockdown took effect on Thursday afternoon and will be observed until (today), during which disinfection and contact tracing will be conducted to stop the spread of COVID-19 within the DENR compound,” Cimatu said yesterday.

The DENR chief issued the directive while supervising the government’s COVID-19 response in Cebu City as ordered by President Duterte.

DENR spokesman Undersecretary Benny Antiporda said the COVID-positive employees are assigned at the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) office, which is located within the DENR compound.

“The two personnel were part of the skeleton force of the EMB, and they work directly with the office of the EMB director,” he said.

Antiporda said the DENR’s skeleton workforce can resume work on June 29.

Meanwhile, EMB director William Cuñado said all employees of the bureau will undergo self-quarantine for two weeks, starting yesterday, as a precautionary measure. Rhodina Villanueva