PNP records new COVID death

A 38-year-old policeman from Nueva Ecija died of complications from COVID-19, raising the number of the force’s fatalities to 126 after two months without deaths, the National Police reported Wednesday.

Gen. Dionardo Carlos, PNP chief, said the latest fatality was fully vaccinated but immuno-compromised as he had been undergoing dialysis due to chronic kidney disease (CKD).

“He (the fatality) was on work-from-home status since the start of the pandemic. However, on January 13, while on their way to the hospital for his scheduled dialysis, he lost consciousness. He was then rushed to Nueva Ecija Medical Center and was diagnosed with stroke and declared brain dead. Laboratory tests revealed that he was positive for COVID-19,” Carlos said.

The patient succumbed to acute respiratory failure, pneumonia, and CKD around 3:35 p.m. last Friday.

Carlos extended condolences to the policeman’s family and assured them of assistance.

As of Wednesday, the PNP Health Service recorded 503 recoveries among the infected personnel bringing the total recoveries to 42,550 while 323 new cases were noted bringing the total cases to 46,291 with 3,615 active cases.

The PNP said 217,034 personnel, or 96.33 percent of the force’s total strength, have been fully vaccinated while 60,664 or 27.95 percent have received booster shots.

Some 7,173 personnel are awaiting the second dose to complete the inoculation while 1,107 or 0.49 percent of the force have not yet been vaccinated.