More Western Visayas cops test positive for COVID-19

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — More uniformed and non-uniformed personnel of the Western Visayas police have tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19, authorities said yesterday.

Of the 51 personnel who got infected by the virus, one had died, according to Lt. Col. Joem Malong, spokesperson for the regional police.

Malong said 29 personnel have recovered from the disease while 20 others are active cases.

Of the 51 infected personnel, 24 are assigned at the Western Visayas police headquarters in Iloilo City, 11 at the Iloilo City police, six at the Negros Occidental police and three each at the Bacolod and Iloilo City police.

Meanwhile, the provincial government of Negros Occidental is bracing for the arrival of returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and locally stranded individuals (LSI).

This developed after the one-week moratorium given to the provincial government in accepting returning OFWs and LSIs lapsed yesterday.

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has not extended the moratorium as of yesterday.

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia appealed to the IATF to extend the moratorium until Sept. 30.

Leonardia appealed that local government units (LGUs) be given a two-day advance notice before the deployment if any ship or plane with returning OFWs and LSIs on board.

He said the advance notice would give LGUs time to determine if they have adequate quarantine facilities for returning LSIs and OFWs.

As of Sunday, Negros Occidental has 1,452 COVID cases and eight deaths. Bacolod has 1,846 positive cases and 27 deaths.