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COVID-19 cases at PCOO climb at 20; 4 more OVP staff members test positive
COVID-19 cases at PCOO climb at 20; 4 more OVP staff members test positive
The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) has so far recorded 20 cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), including two deaths, while four more staff members of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) have been tested positive for the dreaded disease.
In an update sent to Palace reporters, Communications Assistant Secretary JV Arcena said the number of personnel at the PCOO main office who tested positive for the disease climbed to 13 as of 2:50 p.m. Saturday.
On Saturday, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, who said he tested negative for COVID-19, relayed hopes and prayers for the speedy recovery of those affected by the virus and assured the public that the PCOO was rendering assistance to them.
"We are also fulfilling any assistance and support we can provide to our personnel and their families on the matter," he said Saturday.
Andanar said the PCOO is doing all the health and medical protocols prescribed by the government, especially the intensified contact tracing and testing to prevent further transmissions among those who have been in contact with those who tested positive for the disease.
Arcena had said that Andanar underwent PCR testing on Thursday.
"He was one of the primary contacts of my staff who tested positive earlier," he said.
In other agencies attached to the PCOO reported the following number of COVID caes as of 9 a.m. July 24:
APO Production Unit: 1 death, 1 active case (Lima Plant)
Philippine Information Agency: 2
Radio Television Malacañang: 2
PTV-4: 1
Meanwhile, the following PCOO-attached agencies had no reports of COVID-19 cases:
Bureau of Broadcast Service
Bureau of Communication Services
IBC-13
News and Information Bureau
National Printing Office
The PCOO has suspended work at the New Executive Building (NEB) in Malacañang until Sunday after one of their personnel tested positive for COVID-19.
According to Andanar, the temporary closure of the NEB -- which houses the Press Working Area (PWA) and the press briefing room -- does not mean that there would be a pause in their services.
"As office disinfection will continue to be carried out at the NEB, we are extending the physical work suspension until further notice in order to ensure our personnel’s safety against the virus," he said.
"Rest assured that the delivery of essential and timely information to the Filipino public will remain unhampered and unchanged as we have adopted a work-from-home arrangement. All programs and briefings done at NEB will be undertaken remotely and or virtually," he added.
Meanwhile, the latest positive COVID-19 cases at the OVP brought the total infections to eight.
“I have gotten in touch with them to assure them that the office will do its utmost to take care of them and their families,” Vice President Leni Robredo said in a Facebook post.
“They seem to be in good spirits and wala naman sa kanilang nagpapakita ng severe symptoms,” Robredo added.
Last week, the four OVP staff members were found infected by coronavirus.
Robredo said they had contracted COVID-19 in the “line of duty and in the name of public service.”
Robredo said that her office’s relief work goes on despite the COVID-19 cases.
She said her staff would continue to work from home, while contract tracing would be expanded.
“We are confident that with our protocols being fully implemented, all those infected will soon be identified and consequently treated, and the spread of the virus will be stemmed,” Robredo said.
READ MORE: 4 more OVP staff test positive for COVID-19