6 PDEA agents under investigation for COVID-19
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Friday confirmed that six of its agents were classified as persons under investigation (PUIs) for the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19, while around 60 others are patients under monitoring (PUMs).
“Parang na sa anim ngayon ang PUI ko at na sa 60 ang PUM. So naka-home quarantine lahat, self-quarantine 'yung mga ahente ko na ito,” PDEA director general Aaron Aquino said in a Friday morning interview with the state-run Radyo Pilipinas.
(I estimate that six are PUIs while around 60 are PUMs. All of them have been placed under home quarantine, my agents are undergoing self-quarantine.)
Aquino said that the agency is appealing to the Department of Health to provide test kits so that the affected agents, who continue to operate, can be examined for COVID-19.
“Hindi namin kasi maiwanan siyempre 'yung mga lahat ng seaports tsaka airports eh. Kahit wala namang flights ngayon, patuloy pa rin 'yung mga cargo na pumapasok,” he said.
(We can’t leave our posts, of course, all the seaports and airports. Even if there are no flights at the moment, cargoes continue to enter the country.)
The director-general said that PDEA needs to remain on guard at local borders even at the height of the coronavirus outbreak in the Philippines since the entry of illegal drugs persists.
“Four days ago nga lang, may nahuli ang interdiction units natin dito sa Clark International Airport, nakapasok na ng illegal drugs...almost P14 million, galing sa California, USA ito (high-grade marijuana),” Aquino said.
(Just four days ago, our interdiction units at Clark International Airport seized almost P14 million worth of illegal drugs, high-grade marijuana from California, USA.)
As of Thursday, the Philippines recorded 4,076 COVID-19 cases with 203 deaths and 124 recoveries.
Photo shows members of the Philippine National Police deployed in Manila amid COVID-19 threat. The STAR/Edd Gumban
President Rodrigo Duterte on March 16, 2020 declares an enhanced community quarantine over all of mainland Luzon, an expansion of an earlier general community quarantine over the National Capital Region.
The entire National Capital Region—16 cities and a municipality—is under community quarantine from March 15 to April 14, which means the enforcement of social distancing measures like letting fewer people on public transportation, reduced store hours, and the possibiity of curfews.
According to a memorandum issued by the Palace on Saturday, March 14, the quarantine means that "movement of people shall be limited to accessing basic necessities and work; and uniformed personnel and quarantine officers shall be present at border points."
Travel restrictions in and out of the capital will also be implemented.
A labor group says another lockdown will never resolve rising COVID-19 cases in the Philippines after the government announced that Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan and Rizal are placed under the enhanced community quarantine starting Monday.
“The Duterte government seems to be deliberate in focusing its efforts in imposing quarantine and lockdown measures instead of addressing the rising cases of COVID-19 and the worsening state of the pandemic through medical solutions and scientific approach,” says Defend Jobs Philippines.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque says the implementation of enhanced community quarantine is meant to slow down the increase of COVID-19 cases, so hospitals and health workers will not be overwhelmed.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announces that Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan and Rizal are placed under enhanced community quarantine starting Monday, March 29.
Tuguegarao City will be placed under enhanced community quarantine from January 20 to 29 due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the city.
Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba approved the request of Tuguegarao Mayor Jefferson Soriano to place the city under ECQ for 10 days.
According to the Cagayan Provincial Information Office, the city currently has 246 active cases.
BREAKING NEWS | ENERO 19, 2021 RIATF INAPRUBAHAN NA ANG PAGSASAILALIM SA TUGUEGARAO CITY SA 10-ARAW NA...
Posted by Cagayan Provincial Information Office on Tuesday, 19 January 2021
Batangas, one of the provinces hardest hit by the novel coronavirus, has reported no new cases of the disease for two consecutive days.
The provincial DOH Office says the number of COVID-19 cases in the province stood at 91 with no new cases as of Wednesday afternoon.
Lipa City has the most cases with 26, followed by Batangas City (21) and Nasugbu (11).
Tanauan City has the fourth most cases with eight, followed by Bauan (5) and Alitagtag (3). Cuenca and Sto. Tomas City had two cases each, while the municipalities of Calaca, Lemery, Lian, Lobo, Mabini, Mataas na Kahoy, Padre Garcia, San Jose, San Juan, San Pascual and Taal had one case each, respectively. — The Filipino Connection
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