PMA cadets catch COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) yesterday confirmed that some of its cadets as well as military and civilian personnel tested posi­tive for COVID-19.

The infected personnel and cadets are asymptomatic and some have recovered, Maj. Cher­ryl Tindog, PMA public affairs office chief, said without men­tioning how many were infected.

“We assure the parents and families of the cadets that their health and needs are be­ing attended to,” Tindog said.

For the first time since the pandemic started, the PMA subjected the cadets and per­sonnel to swab tests in com­pliance with the guidelines of the city government of Baguio and the Inter-Agency Task

Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Since the pandemic broke out in March, the PMA only conducted rapid tests for its cadets, military and civilian personnel.

“Although the cadets have been isolated from the outside world by cancelling contact activities and employing online mode of instructions, still there is no fool-proof system to avoid the virus,” Tindog said.

She gave assurance that the cases were reported and coor­dinated with the city health officials, and the patients are receiving treatment.

Contract tracing is ongoing, she said.