Another cop dies due to COVID-19, bringing PNP death toll to 47

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday said a police staff sergeant has died due to COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the total deaths among its personnel to 47.

In a statement, PNP chief Police General Debold Sinas said the deceased cop, who was assigned in Metro Manila, tested positive for the disease on April 6.

On March 21, the cop experienced flu-like symptoms particularly fever and body ache but did not report his condition to his unit and refused to be admitted to a quarantine facility.

Later on, he suffered shortness of breath, cough, colds and diarrhea.

The police was advised to take azithromycin for three days after an online consultation with a private physician.

Instead of going to a quarantine facility, he decided to buy his own oxygen supply for home use and continued to self-medicate, the PNP said.

After receiving the result of his test on April 7, he decided to go to a hospital instead of the NCRPO Special Care Facility, according to the PNP.

However, he failed to find a hospital that will accept him and finally agreed to be quarantined at Special Care Facility 2.

On April 8, his chest X-ray results showed he was suffering from bilateral pneumonia.

After two days, he was transferred to a hospital in Marikina City but continued to show severe condition with cough and colds.

On April 13, the police officer died, the PNP said.

"I am reminding again all our police personnel to be cautious of your health conditions and do not self-medicate as it may get worse," Sinas said. 

As of Tuesday, the total number of COVID-19 cases among PNP personnel is 17,917 with 288 new infections reported. At least 2,481 are still active cases. — RSJ, GMA News