CDNTopStories: With COVID-19 breaching Bilibid walls, the deaths are sowing panic and paranoia among disgruntled detainees who, according to an insider, fear that the virus has already exploded within prison compounds. Read more:
AN AVERAGE of 50 to 60 prisoners have died in the New Bilibid Prison every month for the past six months but only one death in April has been attributed to COVID-19.
“Loneliness, nightmares, and accidents” were also seen as reasons for these deaths according to Chaclag. Health undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, in a phone interview, said that only one NBP inmate had tested positive for coronavirus as of May 4. Guidelines issued by the Health Department stated that deaths with unknown causes shall be treated as COVID cases and the corpse cremated within 12 hours.
Rights advocates have called for the release of vulnerable inmates, saying infections in detention areas might risk jail staff and visitors, and can potentially lead to the reinfection of the general public. Paul Borlongan, chief doctor of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology , which supervises city jails, also claims that BJMP’s death statistics is still “acceptable.”
As far as BJMP is concerned, only nine inmates — not 12 — from Quezon City Jail are considered COVID-positive patients. Borlongan surmised that the three other inmates in DOH’s list were those whose deaths were considered “possible COVID” cases because they had flu-like symptoms or pulmonary problems.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Before COVID-19, Philippine jails already a death trapMANILA, Philippines (Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism) — AN AVERAGE of 50 to 60 prisoners have died in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) every month for the past six months but only one death in April has been attributed to COVID-19. For the Bureau of Corrections (Bucor) the death toll in February, March, and April …
Read more »
DOH: More than 1,800 doctors, health workers in Philippines have COVID-19
Read more »
PNP confirms three new COVID-19 cases within its ranks, bringing total to 112BREAKING: The Philippine National Police confirms three new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of patients within its ranks to 112. Meanwhile, 17 have recovered from the virus while three have died.
Read more »
Bantayan patient’s 7 close contacts negative for COVID-19CEBU CITY, Philippines — Seven out of the 33 identified close contacts of the confirmed coronavirus patient from Bantayan town have tested negative for the infection, the municipality announced
Read more »
International flights suspended until May 8: COVID-19 task force
Read more »