MANILA - Some 300 cadets of the Philippine National Police Academy's (PNPA) Class of 2024 will undergo swab tests for the novel coronavirus following the death of 2 cadets.
Fourth class cadets Jiary Papa and Kenneth Alvarado died due to supposed heat stroke last week, the PNP earlier said. The PNPA has since suspended its activities for new cadets.
Papa died early Friday due to electrolyte imbalance or hypokalemia, the PNP said. She suddenly collapsed beside her bunks and was rushed to Qualimed Hospital in Santa Rosa, Laguna for full medical attention.
On July 8, Alvarado collapsed after participating in evening mess formation due to alleged heat stroke.
The PNP is reviewing measures against the virus at the academy, its chief Gen. Archie Gamboa said.
"Ayokong isantabi na possibility na may mga infection sa training camps because of other experiences abroad kasi siyempre magkakasama sila, kapag nagsasagot sumisigaw," he told reporters.
(I don't want to set aside the possibility of infection in training camps because because of other experiences abroad, of course they're all together and they shout when they answer.)
"We also have to revisit also the PPE at least basic PPE, masks that are being issued to training kasi yung trainees kasi palagi silang pinapawisan. 'Yung proximity ng infection malaki. They stay in the same barracks although homogeneous sila-sila mismo but there is a possibility rin na kapag na-infect ang isa maramihan
ang infection."
(We also have to revisit also the PPE at least basic PPE, masks that are being issued to training because trainees are always sweating. The proximity of infection is huge, they stay in the same barracks although they are a unit, there is a possibility that if one is infected, several could contract the disease.)
Some 1,063 policemen have contracted the virus as of Saturday, the PNP said.
--Report from Zhander Cayabyab, ABS-CBN News
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