MANILA, Philippines — A policeman assigned in Iloilo City has died of COVID-19.
Philippine National Police chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said yesterday the 45-year-old patient died on the way to a hospital on June 25 after he complained of shortness of breath.
Eleazar said a swab test revealed the policeman contracted the virus.
Eighty policemen have succumbed to COVID-19 since last year, 50 of them since January.
Eleazar urged policemen to take extra precautions and get vaccinated, especially after the Department of Health confirmed a local transmission of the highly infectious Delta variant in the country.
The PNP recorded 1,092 active cases yesterday after eight policemen tested positive for the virus.
At least 29,698 PNP personnel have been infected since last year.
A total of 25,344 PNP members or 11.6 percent of the 220,000-strong police force have been fully vaccinated while 47,563 have received their first dose.