CEBU CITY jail officials on Friday reported that a total of 427 inmates tested positive for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) have recovered from the virus.
Jail warden Julius Aro said the interventions by the jail management and the city government to the patients who are considered persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) have paid off.
Aro said another good news was that the city jail has not reported any new case for over a month now.
He said the early detection, isolation, and treatment of those infected with the virus helped control the further spread of the infection inside the jail facility in the upland village of Kalunasan here.
“Almost 400 to ang amuang mga confirmed cases of Covid-19 diri sa Cebu City Jail. (We have almost 400 confirmed Covid-19 cases here at the Cebu City Jail. So, after the period of two weeks or 21 days, na declare na sila sa DOH na (the DOH declared them as) clinically recovered,” Aro said in a statement.
The jail warden thanked the city government and Mayor Edgar Labella who provided help “through measures and interventions for the sick inmates”.
“The donations like alcohol, PPE (personal protective equipment), and other items that the City gave was a big help to us in addressing the problem. Dako usab ang natabang sa early monitoring sa cases sa (Early monitoring of the cases has been a big help of the) city jail through the city government,” he said.
He added that the executive orders issued by Labella mandating the test of the incoming and outgoing PDLs who are due for commitment to or release from the facility.
Labella issued Executive Order No. 71 on April 27 requiring all PDLs to undergo Covid-19 testing before admission into or release from the city jail.
The latest case of Covid-19 in the city jail was recorded on June 12. The Cebu City Health Department (CCHD) reported 11 Covid-19 cases inside the jail on this date.
The city jail under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)-Central Visayas reported its first Covid-19 case on April 19.
Labella immediately instructed the CCHD medical front-liners to mass testing and contact tracing of inmates and jail personnel.
On April 22, the CCHD reported that 124 inmates and jail personnel tested positive for the coronavirus.
On April 24, seven new confirmed cases were discovered due to contact tracing and testing inside the jail facility.
In just two weeks, Covid-19 patients in the city jail reached more than 300 cases.
Inmates found positive for Covid-19 were immediately transferred to the jail’s new annex building that served as an isolation center and they would remain there until their full recovery.
Aro, however, did not reveal how many patients remain in the facility. (By John Rey Saavedra)
