PNP virus count tops 7,000

MANILA, Philippines — The number of police officers who contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 rose to 7,054 after 20 more tested positive for the virus.

Ten of the new cases are from Metro Manila, five from Calabarzon, two each from Eastern Visayas and Soccsksargen and one each from Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Zamboanga peninsula and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported yesterday.

The PNP said 570 of their personnel remain confined in hospitals and quarantine facilities.

In Isabela, four personnel of the provincial police office were found infected yesterday.

Col. James Cipriano, Isabela police director, said four other police officers, who were exposed to the patients, were quarantined.

Four other personnel of the Isabela police office tested positive for the virus on Oct. 22.

An investigator of the Ilagan City police was also found infected yesterday.

City police chief Lt. Col. Virgilio Abillera did not order a lockdown of the police station as the infected police officer was immediately brought to a local government health facility.

Ilagan City has the highest number of active cases in Isabela at 134.