Two policemen died of health complications after being infected by the coronavirus, which brought to 106 the total number of deaths in the Philippine National Police (PNP).
PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Ronnie Olay said the latest fatalities are a rookie policeman in Police Regional Office 1 and a retiring Police Master Sergeant in Police Regional Office 5.
Olay said the 25-year old rookie cop was undergoing Basic Internal Security Operations Course (BISOC) when he was infected. He was rushed to the hospital on August 24 for immediate medical attention due to difficulty in breathing, however, on the same day he was pronounced dead by his attending physician.
A post mortem examination and swab test were conducted which yielded a positive result.
Olay said the rookie cop had received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
The police sergeant, on the other hand, tested positive on August 20. He was admitted at the Quarantine Facility on August 19 after experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
On August 23 he was transferred to the hospital due to difficulty in breathing and a decrease in oxygen level. On August 26, he succumbed due to acute respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19.
The PNP COVID-19 cases is now at 34,972 after 219 more new cases were recorded.