TWO more COVID-19 deaths in the Philippine National Police were recorded on Sunday bringing to 91 the total number of police personnel who have died after contracting the virus since March last year.

PNP chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar said that 90th fatality was a 49-year old Police Captain assigned at the Police Regional Office 10 in Northern Mindanao while the 91st is a 51-year-old Police Executive Master Sergeant assigned at the PRO4-A in Calabarzon region.

Citing a report from the PNP Health Service, Gen. Eleazar said that Patient No. 90 experienced cough and fever last July 26-28. He was advised to isolate and undergo an RT-PCR test which yielded positive results.

Last July 30, he was admitted to a nearby hospital and underwent a chest tube thoracostomy.

On August 5, his oxygen level continued to decrease and he was declared dead by his attending physician the following morning.

On the other hand, Patient No. 91, who had already received his first dose of vaccine last July 19 was admitted to a local hospital last August 9 due to COVID-19 symptoms.

He died two days later after testing positive for the virus.

“Ang buong hanay po ng Pambansang Pulisya ay nagluluksa sa pagpanaw ng dalawa panaming kabaro. Hindi madali at buhay ang inaalay ng ating mga pulis na nasa frontline at patuloy na nagbabantay upang hindi muling kumalat ang naturang virus,” Gen. Eleazar said.

He also assured the families of the two of all financial support due them.

The PNP Health Service also recorded 131 new cases bringing to 32,364 the number of police personnel who have been afflicted by the virus since 2020.

However, there were also 85 new recoveries recorded on Sunday bringing to 30,314 the number of PNP personnel who have fully recovered from the disease and are now back to full duty status since last year.

PNP doctors and nurses are also monitoring a total of 1,959 ‘active cases’ as of press time.

Further, the PNP already have 77,735 or 35.05 percent of its force who are fully vaccinated while 90,230 or 40.68 percent have already received their first dose of vaccine.

With this, there were only 53,817 or 24.27 percent of the force which are yet to be vaccinated.

Of the 91 fatalities, five are from the PNP national headquarters in Camp Crame; seven from different PNP National Operational Support Units; 21 from different National Operational Support Units; and 58 from the different Police Regional Offices.

The National Capital Region Police Office recorded the biggest number of fatalities with 18 followed by ; six from the PRO4-A in Calabarzon region; and four each from PRO3 in Central Luzon, PRO6 in Western Visayas, PRO7 in Central Visayas and PRO9 in Western Mindanao; and three each from PRO10 in Northern Mindanao; PRO11 in Southern Mindanao; PRO12 in Central Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Administrative Region.

PNP chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar has called on his men to be extra cautious as they continue their anti-criminality campaign while strictly enforcing IATF health protocols in NCR Plus and the rest of the country to help reduce the further spread of COVID-19 especially its more dangerous Delta variant.