FORTY-ONE persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in Cagayan de Oro City Jail have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, City Health Office Epidemiologist Dr. Joselito Retuya reported Saturday, October 24.
The 41 inmates were among the 62 new confirmed Covid-19 cases in the city.
According to Retuya, most of the recently recorded coronavirus-positive inmates experienced symptoms and were brought to the city jail's infirmary. All of them were swabbed on October 19 and the result came out positive.
Retuya said the chance of Covid-19 transmission among the inmates in the infirmary is most likely as the area is located near the holding area where the inmates were brought for swabbing.
Mayor Oscar Moreno said that while the spread of the virus is not within the community, people should not be off guard.
"Di mahimo nga magkompyansa ta. We're doing everything we can to ensure the most appropriate approaches are undertaken. Pero kinahanglan gyud ang suporta sa katawhan," Moreno said.
Dr. Ted Yu of the City Health Office said that from August to September, 219 male inmates underwent the RT-PCR test with only one person tested positive for the virus. The said inmate was swabbed again after 14 days and the result came out negative.
All of the 219 inmates, Yu added, are already in the general jail.
From October 1 to 19, seven batches of PDLs were transferred to the city jail from different police stations.
A total of 221 male PDLs were tested and 112 tested positive while 109 tested negative.
Yu said 13 of the 112 coronavirus-positive inmates were reswabbed and the result came out negative. At present, 98 male PDLs are still positive for the virus, but all of them are asymptomatic.
Meanwhile, from August to September 11, Yu said a total of 11 female inmates underwent RT-PCR testing, one of whom tested positive. After 14 days, she was swabbed again and the result came out negative.
All of the 11 female inmates are now at the general jail.
From October 1 to 19, 14 female PDLs were tested and five came out positive for coronavirus and nine were negative.
A total of 17 jail guards were also tested, one of whom was positive and was isolated in the regional isolation facility.