A 35-YEAR-OLD police officer from Western Mindanao has been recorded as the 124th COVID-19 fatality in the 220,000-strong police force since March last year.

According to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar, the cop passed away last October 17 due to respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19. However, his death was only confirmed and reported over the weekend.

Based on his medical records, the policeman experienced mild symptoms of COVID-19 last October 3 and relied on traditional medication.

Last October 13, the cop’s symptoms persisted prompting his superior officer to ask him to seek medical check-up in a nearby hospital. However, the policeman’s family refused to follow the officer’s instruction.

The following day, the family of the cop, with the help of a friend agreed to finally bring him to the hospital where he tested positive for COVID-19.

Three days later, the policeman was pronounced dead by his attending physician.

“Lubos po ang ating pakikidalamhati at pakikiramay sa pamilya ng ating pulis na namatay at patuloy na nagpapaalala na kung sakaling makaramdam ng anumang sintomas ng COVID-19 ay agad po tayong magpatingin sa doktor. Hindi lamang para sa ating kaligtasan ngunit para na rin sa kaligtasan ng ating pamilya,” Gen. Eleazar said.

The news on the passing of the 124th COVID-19 fatality in force came even as the PNP Health Service noted a steady decrease in new cases.

As of Monday, the PNP-HS headed by Brigadier Gen. Antonino R. Cirujales said they have tallied only six new cases in the force bringing to 42,022 the total number of police personnel who have contracted the virus since March 2020.

There were only 300 ‘active cases’ in the PNP as of press time.

However, the PNP-HS likewise recorded 24 new recoveries bringing to 41,598 the total number of police personnel who have fully recovered from the diseases and are now back to full duty status.

Gen. Eleazar said that about 90.76 percent or 203,588 of PNP personnel are fully protected with the required vaccine doses against COVID-19 while 7.89 percent or 17,692 personnel have received the 1st dose of the vaccine.

With these numbers, only 1.35 percent or 3,032 personnel are yet to be inoculated either due to medical or personal reasons.