The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said on Sunday, Dec. 5 that only one inmate in its jail facilities was infected with the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).
In a press briefing, BJMP spokesperson Chief Inspector Xavier Solda said the unnamed COVID-19 afflicted inmate is closely being monitored by the BJMP jail personnel and medical staff.
For the second straight day, Solda added there were no new recorded COVID-19 cases that infected the BJMP’s persons deprived of liberty (PDL).
Since March 2020, Solda noted that the BJMP recorded a total of 4,672 cases “among our PDL wherein 4,552 are now fully recovered.’’
“Unfortunately, we have 50 PDL na merong comorbidities at talagang mahinaang pangangatawan na naging biktima ng virus (COVID-19) na ito (with comorbidities and who are really weak that succumbed to this virus),’’ Solda explained.
The BJMP spokesperson noted that the remarkable single COVID-19 active case among the inmates is attributed to the bureau’s strict observance of health protocols and the immediate creation of Ligtas (Safety) COVID Centers to isolate the PDL with COVID-19 like symptoms.
“We are grateful to the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of the Interiorand Local Government (DILG), the local government executives and their respective health units including organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and European Union particularly the GoJust Project for the support they have extended to us,’’ he added.
Solda also noted that 119,070 out of the 25,589 PDLs were already vaccinated which translates to 94.81 percent inoculated BJMP inmates.
Out of the 119,070 inoculated PDLs, Solda revealed that 95,813 of them received the full COVID-19 vaccine dose.
Earlier, BJMP chief Jail Director Allan Iral expressed optimism that all of the bureau’s PDLs will be vaccinated before the end of the year.
Despite the BJMP’s successful COVID-19 control success accomplishment, Solda stressed that the bureau will relentlessly intensify the enforcement of the health and security protocols in its jail facilities.
“Patuloy pa rin po kaming magsisipag sa pagbabantay ng aming mga pasilidad at magmamalasakit para sa kapakanan ng aming mga PDL (We will continue to work hard in guarding our facilities and show compassion for the welfare of our PDL),’’ Solda emphasized. (Chito A. Chavez)