(Eagle News) — Almost 100 Philippine Coast Guard personnel have so far tested positive for COVID-19.
According to the PCG, the 94 personnel who tested positive as of Jan. 7 have been transported to the PCG Quarantine Facility at the Coast Guard Base in Taguig for medical assistance.
The PCG said the majority of the personnel were members of Task Force Kalinga distributing relief goods to help typhoon-stricken regions including MiMaRoPa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and Caraga recover, and crew members of Coast Guard ships.
With the development, the PCG said it has asked the Philippine Ports Authority to further use modern mechanized port handling services at port hubs to reduce the possible exposure to COVID-19 of PCG personnel doing manual hauling of relief goods to and from Coast Guard ships.
As of Friday, PCG vessels and air assets have transported a total of 1218.4 tons of relief goods, the PCG said.
PCG Auxiliary (PCGA) aircraft and private vessels that are part of the mission have also ferried 593.5 tons of supplies, bringing the total tons of transported relief goods to the affected families of Typhoon Odette to 1,811.9.
