15 PUPC, 3 cops test positive

CEBU, Philippines —  At least 15 persons under police custody (PUPC) of Sawang Calero Police Station and three personnel under the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) have tested positive for COVID-19.

"So far as of today meron tayong tatlo (police personnel) na nag-positive sa COVID, so sa tatlong yun isa nasa support unit yung isa dito sa headquarters," said Police Lt. Colonel Alan Rosario, office-in-charge of Police Community Relations, Monday.

Two of the three cops who tested positive already under home quarantine while the other one is currently in isolation in the quarantine facility of Cebu City.

Aside from this, a total of 15 PUPC of the Sawang Calero Police Station under the CCPO have also tested positive for the virus and were already isolated.

The testing was conducted last week.

"So kung meron silang (Sawang Calero Police Station) bagong huli, hindi muna nila pinapasok doon (custodial facility)," said Rosario.

Those newly arrested by the police station will be detained in the other custodial facility of other police stations.

In line with this, the CCPO heads also temporarily suspended the visitation for the PUPC of the said station.

The police personnel assigned in the station were told to take precautionary measures.

"Ilang beses na din kasi nangyari yan kaya I think alam na ng kapolisan natin yung nga dapat gawin nila in case na may mga PUPC natin na mag positive sa kanilang mga station," said Rosario.

Further, Rosario also said that all cops under the CCPO were directed to be cautious enough to help prevent the spread of the virus among its personnel and the PUPCs.

This is also considering that the CCPO is now strengthening its police visibility for the strict implementation of the health standard protocols.

"Wala na rin tayong mga gatherings kagaya ng flag raising," said Rosario.

Fresh cases

Cebu City now has 68 out of 80 barangays with active infection of COVID-19 while its positivity rate is at its highest at 43.03 percent.

The city now has 2,612 total active cases as of January 16.

This after 509 fresh cases have been added out of the 1,183 people tested.

Close to a thousand of the COVID-19 positives in the city are undergoing home isolation, 221 in barangay isolation centers, 192 in hotels, 71 in other isolation facilities and 125 in hospitals while the rest are still being traced.

So far, there are now three deaths recorded this month.

The City’s Emergency Operations Center’s deputy chief implementer and City Councilor Joel Garganera said that in just two weeks, the current COVID-19 situation in the city had already broken the peak of the past three surges.

“Ang ako lang gikuyawan kung ibase nato sa behavior sa tulo ka surges mo peak ra na siya after two months so karon kita two weeks pa gani na surpass naman gani,” said Garganera.

Previously, the highest daily cases recorded by the Department of Health-7 for Cebu City was just 417 last August 18, 2021.

So far, the most number of fresh cases in a day for Cebu City is 533 last Sunday and followed by the 509 fresh cases yesterday.

Although slightly lower than last Sunday, the positivity rate in January 16 is at 43.03 percent, way higher than the January 15 result, which was at 34.88 percent.

Garganera though is hopeful that this surge will be over sooner than expected, based on what one of its medical advisers told him.

“I was told by Dr. Bryan Lim nga dili na siya pareha og batasan, dili na sila pareha og behavior and after four to six week kuno, moubos na kuno na, hopefully. Ang ako lang gyud dili lang ni siya molabi og saka kay maapektaran man sad atong panginabuhi,” said Garganera. — Caecent No-ot Magsumbol with Decemay P. Padilla, GMR (FREEMAN)