Negros police logs first COVID fatality

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

 

BACOLOD City – A police officer in Negros Occidental succumbed to mild stroke caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Lieutenant Wilma Silva, deputy public information officer of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), said the 51-year-old personnel of Hinoba-an Municipal Police Station died Tuesday at Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) here.

Silva said he was the first fatality among the more than 20 personnel of Nocppo who tested positive for COVID-19 in the past months. The others have already recovered from the infection.

Silva said the cop, whose rank was Chief Master Sergeant, complained to his family that he was not feeling well on October 28.

He was taken to Hinigaran Emergency Center that day and was transferred to the CLMMRH the following day where he was isolated and underwent swab testing, Silva said.

On Oct 30, he fell in comatose. It was also on the same day wherein his swab test results came out positive.

The said police officer stayed at the hospital for six days until he died.

But Silva said that the cop’s colleagues wondered when he was issued an order to be released for embalming.

Despite the confusion on the process of his burial, Silva said the police officer’s body was cremated after his family and his colleagues were informed about his swab test results.

“Na delay ang paghambal sa ila abi sang results,” she added.

Silva said the police station was not placed under lockdown because the cop did not report to work last October 28.

Only the cop’s family and his close contacts were isolated.

Meanwhile, Silva reminded the policemen to be vigilant and to be extra careful since they are also in the frontlines in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.