The number of recoveries among COVID-stricken Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel has breached the 8,400-mark.
Based on data released by the PNP Administrative Support for COVID-19 Task Force (ASCOTF) at around 6 p.m. Wednesday, some 27 more police officers recovered from the 2019 coronavirus disease, thus bringing the total recoveries to 8,443.
A total of 8,793 PNP members have been afflicted with COVID-19. This means that 96.02 percent of the total cases have been deemed recovered. The death toll remained at 27 as per the latest figures.
PNP deputy chief for administration, Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, also the concurrent commander of ASCOTF, bared that there are 323 active COVID-19 cases in the police force.
Of the figure, 43 are from the National Headquarters (Camp Crame), 127 from National Support Units (NSUs) and 153 from Police Regional Offices (PROs). Eleazar said 12 patients and 311 patients are recuperating in hospital and quarantine facilities, respectively.
Eleazar said they are planning to conduct COVID-19 testing on all police personnel assigned in Metro Manila. He said the metropolis cops will be prioritized since it is the epicenter of the pandemic and most of the molecular laboratories are located here.
A total of 76,075 have been tested or 34.57 percent of total 221,000 PNP members, he said.
The molecular laboratory in Camp Crame, Quezon City has also increased its daily testing capacity from 100 to 300.
Last Monday, the United Defenders for Democracy and Sovereignty (UDDS) gave a generous donation of 15,000 face shields to the PNP.
"We would like to thank the leadership of UDDS for their donations that would be used by our medical frontliners and patients in our vital quarantine facilities," PNP chief, General Debold Sinas said in response to this gesture.
The newly-acquired face shields are now stored for inventory and safe-keeping at Mall of Asia.
UDDS, headed by its Chairman, Mr. Wilfredo Martinez, is a Quezon City-based non-government organization and advocacy group for community development against crimes and corruption.