41 BOC workers positive for COVID

MANILA, Philippines — At least 41 Bureau of Customs employees have tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) since the BOC started testing in April, an official said yesterday.

BOC spokesman Vincent Philip Maronilla said the bureau’s medical and dental divisions administered COVID-19 tests to 1,264 employees since April.

The 41 employees who tested positive did not manifest symptoms when they were tested while one who died was suffering from a lung condition prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Maronilla said.

He added that the confirmed cases and those with whom they had close contact were placed under a 14-day quarantine.

Maronilla said that the employees afflicted with COVID-19 and those whom they had closed contact with were placed under the mandatory 14-day quarantine period.

The BOC has required employees to wear face masks and observe social distancing, he said, adding that they regularly disinfect their offices and the bureau has gone digital in its transactions.

“Manual transactions within the BOC premises were discouraged to ensure the safety of both stakeholders and customs employees,” Maronilla said.

He added that the BOC is also implementing flexible working arrangements for its frontliners.

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