A ‘MIRACLE baby’ was born at the Kiangan Emergency Treatment Facility in Camp Crame early morning Thursday with two COVID-19 patients assisting the newborn child’s mother-a policewoman also afflicted by the virus-in giving birth to him, the Journal Group learned.

“It’s really historic, the first time when a baby was born at our treatment facility with the sick mother being assisted by two fellow patients. I was told that the patient and his baby are fine and well too and they need all our prayers,” said Brigadier General Antonino R. Cirujales, the director of the Philippine National Police Health Service.

The baby boy’s time of delivery was 4:57 a.m. Thursday, September 16. His mother was described as a patrolwoman from the Manila Police District Station 9 (MPD-9) who was admitted to the KETF last Monday after testing positive for COVID-19 following an RT-PCR test

The patient was described to be suffering from a mild COVID-19 case.

Brig. Gen. Cirujales said that supposed to be, the pregnant cop was scheduled to be transferred to another government-run hospital since she already was having mild contractions.

However, she began having labor pains early in the morning prompting two fellow patients—a PNP lady physician and a Non-Uniformed Personnel who happened to be a midwife to come to her rescue.

The two facilitated the woman’s normal spontaneous delivery at the OB (Obstetrics) Room of the KETF located at the 1st floor of the building.

The OB Room at the KETF was set up to look after pregnant patients from the PNP. Cirujales said they are preparing to set up a similar room complete with OB sets in in another nearby facility.

The newborn baby boy ‘s condition is being regularly assessed by PNP doctors.

However, medical experts have claimed that the chance of a newborn getting COVID-19 from their birth parent is low especially when the parent takes steps such as wearing a mask and washing hands to prevent spread before and during care of the newborn.

There were also medical findings abroad that most newborns of people who had COVID-19 during pregnancy do not have COVID-19 when they are born although babies under age 1 might be at higher risk of contracting the virus that older children.

Experts explained that this is because newborn babies still have immature immune systems and smaller airways which make them more likely to develop breathing issues with respiratory virus infections.

PNP CHIEF ASSURES SUFFICIENT QUARANTINE FACILITIES, SUPPLY OF MEDICAL ITEMS AS 2 MORE COVID-19 DEATHS RECORDED

On Thursday, PNP chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar said they have been constantly checking on the condition of their quarantine facilities, medical supplies and other needs of their personnel amid rising cases of COVID-19 in the country.

Gen. Eleazar said that the continuous rise of COVID-19 cases is also observed in the organization in the past days but even before the surge of cases as warned by health experts, an order was already issued to the Administrative Support to COVID-19 Operations Task Force (ASCOTF) to constantly monitor the status of quarantine facilities, housing infected personnel, as well as the sufficiency of personal protective equipment for the protection of the police officers.

“Bilang mga frontliners sa mga quarantine measures na ipinapatupad ng ating pamahalaan, hindi maiiwasan na tumaas din ang bilang ng mga nahahawa sa aming hanay,” the PNP chief said.

“But we have long anticipated this to happen that is why I issued an order before to our ASCOTF Commander, Lieutenant Gen. Joselito M Vera Cruz, to continuously check the status of the quarantine facilities, medical supplies and even our medical personnel to prevent scenarios of us facing shortage of facilities and medical supplies for our own personnel and their dependents,” he added.

Based on data supplied by the PNP-HS, two more COVID-19 deaths and 186 new cases were recorded on Thursday. This brought to 37,734 the total COVID-19 cases in the PNP since last year while their COVID-19 death toll is now 112.

The recovery however remains high as there were a total of 35,010 PNP personnel who recovered from the infection and are now back to full duty status.

While the number of new cases has been increasing in the past days, Gen. Eleazar said that there are still enough facilities and medical supplies.

But he said that the measures are being exhausted in order to ensure the steady supply of medicines and sufficient facilities for its personnel.

“So far, sapat pa rin ang aming facilities at medical supplies subalit patuloy na gumagawa ng mga paraan ang inyong PNP to ensure that we would be able to attend to the medical needs of all our personnel,” the top cop explained.

The PNP-HS said that 124,758 or 56.02 percent of the PNP’s total strength have already completed their COVID-19 shots while 85,877 or 38.56 percent have received their 1stdose.

Brig. Gen. Cirujales also said that all efforts are currently underway to further improve the services including after-care being offered to PNP personnel and their dependents currently undergoing treatment at the different Camp Crame quarantine facilities on orders of Gen. Eleazar.

The official also dismissed reports that all their treatment centers are already jampacked.

Cirujales said that while they are praying and hoping that the number of COVID-19 cases in the PNP won’t increase anymore, he would like to debunk a report that their treatment facilities in Camp Crame have already reached full capacity saying that 192 of the total 362 beds in these facilities are occupied as of press time and that there are 180 available beds at all.

He said that the 55-bed capacity Kiangan Quarantine Facility have 51 patients composed of 25 Police Commissioned Officers , 8 Police Non-Commissioned Officers, 6 Non-Uniformed Personnel, 1 Civilian and 11 Dependents. The patients have been classified as symptomatic with mild to moderate cases.

The facility at the Camp Crame tennis court have 18 asymptomatic patients, all PNCOs. The facility still has 87 available beds.

On the other hand, the 22-bed capacity Poolside Treatment Area have 5 symptomatic patients with mild to moderate cases. They include a PCO and 4 NUPs. It still has 17 available beds.

The 32-bed capacity Provident treatment facility have 29 symptomatic patients with mild to moderate cases. They include 24 PNCOs and 3 NUPs.

The 40-bed capacity Taekwondo facility have 35 (2 PCOs, 26 PNCOs, 5 NUPs and 2 Civilians) symptomatic patients with mild cases .

The 96-bed capacity Basketball Court facility have 43 confirmed symptomatic patients with mild cases. They include 41 PNCOs, and 2 NUPs. Fifty-three beds in the area are unused.

Meanwhile, the 12-bed DETAH treatment facility have 11 patients composed of 9 PCOs, 1 PNCO and 1 Civilian.

Brig. Gen. Cirujales said that as of press time, 192 of the 362 treatment beds in Camp Crame are occupied. “We still have 180 available beds all in all but are praying that the number of patients won’t increase anymore,” he said.

“Sa ating mga pulis, dobleng pag-iingat pa rin ang gawin kahit kayo ay kumpleto na ng bakuna lalo na ang mga nasa frontline,” he said as he ordered an inventory of medical supplies needed by the PNP in addressing the needs of their men specifically those stricken by the virus.

Gen. Eleazar said that as of yesterday, a total of 124,758 or 56.02 percent of the PNP’s total

Acting on orders of the PNP chief, the PNP-HS has also maintained its policy regarding the ‘No COVID-19 positive patients’ in the PNP General Hospital’s emergency room.

To do this, COVID-19 patients need to be immediately transferred for isolation to the Kiangan Emergency Treatment Facility (KETF) specifically in their Triage 2 located at the swimming pool area in Camp Crame.

At present, PNP-HS doctors and nurses are catering to COVID-19 cases among PNP personnel, their dependents and other civilians described as mild, moderate and severe.

As part of their health precautionary measures, Camp Crame hospital staff are diligently referring the transfer of patients to the One Hospital Command.