TWENTY-EIGHT persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in Cagayan de City Jail-Male Dormitory have tested positive for coronavirus, City Health Office Epidemiologist Dr. Joselito Retuya reported Wednesday, October 7.
The 28 inmates belong to the third batch of PDLs who were swabbed on October 1 at the Bureau Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) holding area. Their swab test result came out on October 5.
According to Retuya, the inmates were from different police stations in the city. All of them are asymptomatic and are currently staying at the Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facility in the city jail.
Mayor Oscar Moreno said while the infection was contained among the 28 inmates, the police should find ways to expedite resolution of cases to avoid congestion.
"Kay kung dugay kana ma-resolve, mag-pile up na sila. With all these arrests sa atong kapulisan, bahala pag buhat kana sad lang building, mopuno gihapon kun dili ma expedite ang processing of these cases," Moreno said.
"It is not as if kung naay holding area, ma-solve na ang ilang problema. It's just a matter of time kun dili mapaspasan ang processing, kanang holding area, again, will be congested," he added.
Of the 28 coronavirus-positive inmates, 25 were among the 42 new Covid-19 cases recorded by the City Health Office as of October 6, while two are retagged cases to Opol and Alubijid in Misamis Oriental.