BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – At least 49 Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) in Negros Occidental got infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
They were from various district jails, said Jail Chief Inspector Jairus Anthony Dogelio, spokesperson of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Region 6.
Also, six BJMP personnel have been infected, although three were now recovering, Dogelio revealed.
Dogelio noted that 25 of the 49 PDLs were already completing their 14-day quarantine and would soon undergo another round of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test.
The infected PDLs were pulled out from their respective district jails and brought to the Talisay Ligtas COVID Center for treatment. Those who were negative following their swab tests were transported to the Handumanan isolation facility.
Once the 14-day quarantine is completed, Dogelio said, the PDLs would be returned to their district jails, although they would again be placed on quarantine prior to thir releasse to the jail’s general population.
All 49 PDLs were asymptomatic.
Due to the number of infections, Dogelio said, they have informed all the district jails in the region to start constructing their own isolation rooms.
The personnel were also reminded to strengthen their preventive measures for the jail facilities to remain COVID-19 free./PN
