The hard lockdown at male dorm of the Baguio City Jail strengthened the spirit of bayanihan among 70 personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
They donated money to buy citrus fruits and food supplement for 313 persons deprived of liberty and BJMP personnel who were quarantined after 22 PDL and BJMP personnel have been infected with the Covid-19.
The city government placed the male dorm on hard lockdown from Nov. 8 to 22 and was extended for another 14 days until today.
During the lockdown, PDL are only allowed e-dalaw, telephone calls, tele-hearing, and may only go out of the jail’s quadrangle for sunshine but under strict observance of health protocols.
Jail Warden Supt. Mary Ann Tresmanio said the city government and facility partners also provided personal protective equipment and medical supplies but BJMP personnel saw the need to also boost their immune system as additional protection against the disease so they spent from their own pockets to buy fruits and supplements.
Department of Health-Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit chief Karen Lonogan said on Thursday there are a total of six BJMP personnel and 29 inmates have tested positive of the virus.
Clustering of cases was recorded in November, where 20 out of the 35 cases came from the male dorm.
Tresmanio said the first case at the male dorm was recorded on Nov. 6 followed by 17 PDLs and two BJMP personnel.
A PDL sought consultation on Nov. 1 complaining of having flu-like symptoms. He was given medicines but returned on Nov. 4 and reported loss smell and taste. He was swab tested then quarantined and when his test came out, was isolated in one of the city’s isolation facilities.
The 19 occupants of the room where the first case was staying and another PDL who is undergoing dialysis sessions at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center also underwent swab testing.
Since the city’s isolation facilities do not meet security requirements for PDL, Tresmanio said the BJMP management converted one room that can accommodate 80 people as the jail’s isolation area.
Tresmanio said doctors monitored the patients, the personnel, and the facility, daily.
The court, on the other hand, granted their petition for a suspension of all face to face hearings.
Commitment of new suspects in jail is also suspended.
She said the initial case and the dialysis patient recovered from the virus and are back in jail. – PNA
