MANILA, Philippines — Twenty-two more members of the Philippine National Police have contracted the coronavirus disease 2019, bringing to 902 the number of PNP personnel infected with COVID-19.
As of yesterday, PNP chief Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa said the National Capital Region Police Office recorded the most number of COVID-19 infections with 354 followed by Central Visayas with 248, National Support Units with 81 and Calabarzon police with 69.
Gamboa said 803 police officers in Central Visayas were suspected carriers of the the virus and are waiting for the results of their confirmatory swab tests.
Seven more police personnel recovered from the disease, bringing the number of recoveries to 414. The fatalities remained at nine.
As of July 4, there were 479 active cases of COVID-19 in the PNP.
Gamboa said at least 1,897 police officers who have shown symptoms of the virus or had close contact with COVID-19 patients are being monitored.
Amid the continued spike in COVID-19 infections, the PNP has started the construction of its own real time polymerase chain reaction testing facility in Cebu City.
The PNP’s first testing center at Camp Crame in Quezon City has been operating since last month.
Gamboa urged police personnel manifesting COVID-like symptoms to report to the PNP Health Service.