Some 82 policemen or more than half of the 161 cops from the Quezon City Police District Station 3 swabbed Friday last week have tested positive for COVID-19.
Of the 82 who tested positive, 51 were deployed during the final State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte last Monday.
“Some 118 from Police Station 3 participated in our SONA deployment, and 51 of them were tested positive,” QCPD chief Brig. Gen. Antonio Yarra said.
Yarra said three cops from Stations 9 and 11 also tested positive for COVID-19, while no positive results were reported from Police Stations 10 and 7.
All the cops who tested positive were asymptomatic and have been fully vaccinated.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte urged the public to stay calm.
“The city government is prepared to contain the spread of the virus.
Our City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit [CESU] has the capability to deal with this situation. We request the public not to panic, especially the communities in which the precincts where these police personnel were assigned. We are appealing to anyone who is experiencing symptoms to please call 122 and inform CESU immediately,” she said.
Belmonte ordered all 16 station commanders to ensure that minimum health protocols are stringently practiced.
Meanwhile, six policemen of the Manila Police District from three police stations also tested positive for COVID-19.
MPD director Police Brig. Gen. Leo Francisco said three of the active cases were from Station 12 while one case was recorded each in Police Station 13, Police Station 12, and Police Station 6.