BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) confirmed having five active cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in its ranks.
Police Lieutenant Abegael Donasco, public information officer of the NOPPO, said the cases consisted of four police officers and one non-uniformed personnel.
Donasco declined to say where the five personnel were assigned but confirmed they were being isolated in their respective local government units’ quarantine facilities.
Previously, an NOPPO cop died from complications brought by COVID-19.
The 51-year-old Police Chief Master Sergeant assigned at the Hinoba-an municipal police station, was the first COVID-related fatality of the NOPPO.
As of Nov. 12, the NOPPO had a total of 36 confirmed COVID-19 cases (cumulative data), of which 31 already recovered.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough.
Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell.
Most people (about 80 percent) recover from the disease without needing special treatment, according to the World Health Organization.
Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness.
People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales.
These droplets also land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth./PN
