GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Two personnel of the Police Regional Office (PRO-12) were placed on strict isolation after turning out reactive for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infection in rapid antibody testing.
Lt. Col. Lino Capellan, the PRO-12 spokesperson said on Friday that the two policemen were among the identified close contacts of an official of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Region 12 who had tested positive of the disease in Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test.
Capellan said the officers, a lieutenant and a patrolman, underwent rapid tests on Thursday based on a recommendation from their Regional Health Service (RHS) unit. The testing was conducted by personnel from the City Health Office and the Department of Health-Region 12.
Capellan said they were immediately subjected to swab collection for confirmatory RT-PCR testing.
“They were immediately isolated as standard protocol while waiting for the release of their RT-PCR test results,” he said in an interview.
He said the two policemen are currently in “good condition” and closely monitored by RHS-12 personnel in an isolation facility inside the regional headquarters compound in Barangay Tambler.
The police official said the first confirmed patient, a major assigned in a CIDG-12 provincial field unit, remains in an undisclosed isolation facility and also in good condition.
The CIDG officer came out positive of Covid-19 last Aug. 26, a week after returning from Manila.
At least 16 police personnel, including the lieutenant and patrolman, were traced as close contacts and subjected to quarantine.
Brig. Gen. Michael John Dubria, PRO-12 director, ordered an investigation and possible filing of charges against the CIDG officer for violation of quarantine and health protocols. -PNA
