PNP records nine new COVID-19 cases as tally climbs to 516
MANILA, Philippines — The national police added nine more cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to its official tally, bringing its agency total to 516 patients.
According to the PNP’s public information office, the PNP also recorded 7 recoveries, bringing the total to 294, along with 868 suspect cases and 654 probable cases among its ranks.
Nine cops have died.
The PNP in its Monday evening update also disclosed that one cop who had already recovered from the new pathogen was infected with it once more. The officer in question, they said, tested positive in a required swab test as he was reassigned from the PNP’s national headquarters to Police Regional Office 6 in Western Visayas.
In an earlier statement, Police Gen. Archie Gamboa, PNP chief, said the agency was looking to fast-track the creation of a new coronavirus testing laboratory in the wake of a cluster of new cases.
Gamboa at a briefing on Monday said that one of the agency's main priorities is to "initiate operations against high-value targets belonging to the Top 10 Most Wanted drug personalities in every jurisdiction."
Earlier this week, the PNP sent a police augmentation force of 100 cops to Central Visayas to aid in the enforcement of the enhanced community quarantine in Cebu where a spike in COVID-19 cases was recorded.
According to health officials, the new pathogen has sickened 31,825 Filipinos since it first emerged in late December.
Cases of police carrying the new pathogen made up 1.6% of the health department's total patient tally as of June 19.
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