By Jeffrey Damicog
An employee of the Department of Justice (DOJ) has been confirmed to have the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) among the 68 who tested positive after the conduct of rapid antibody testing.
“I was informed that the person who tested positive after the swab test was an employee of the DOJ assigned to a field office, not based in the main office,” said Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.
Guevarra noted that the employee, who is asymptomatic, tested positive both from the initial rapid antibody test and the confirmatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said two other DOJ employees among the 68 who tested positive from the rapid test are also waiting for the results of their PCR test.
“We learned that they have been asked to redo the swab test and are now awaiting results,” the DOJ spokesman said.
The 68 employees are among the 537 DOJ employees who underwent rapid antibody tests last week.
The DOJ main office in Manila has over 700 employees.
Those who tested positive through the rapid test were ordered to undergo PCR tests in various government and private hospitals.
Guevarra had earlier assured that those who have been confirmed to have COVID-19 through PCR tests will be brought to a hospital for proper treatment.
He decided to keep the DOJ main office open but assured that there will be repeated disinfection of its offices.