The 95 people, mostly “children in conflict with the law” (CICL) and staff of the Bulacan Juvenile Center known as Bahay Tanglaw Pag-asa (BTP) in Bulacan have recovered from COVID-19) after completing 21 days of quarantine.
According to Dr. Hjordis Marushka Celis, provincial health officer II and chief of the Bulacan Medical Center (BMC), among the recovered patients who all completed the 21-day quarantine were 80 youth inmates or CICL, nine Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) workers and six jail guards.
Ret. Col. Marcos Rivero, head of the Provincial Civil Security and Jail Management Office also confirmed on Monday that after self isolation and quarantine of the six jailguards, they finally tested negative for the said virus.
It was learned that the juvenile reformation and correctional facility known as Bahay Tanglaw Pag-asa located in Barangay Guinhawa in the provincial capital of Malolos City has been placed in a hard lockdown since the young detainees and staff tested positive for COVID-19, reportedly from a PSWDO staff member who first tested positive on March 26.
The Bahay Tanglaw Pag-asa is under the supervision of the PSWDO, with at least 100 CICL whose cases range from from rape, robbery and violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. Their age ranges are from 13 to 26.
Meanwhile, Governor Daniel Fernando continued reminding his fellow Bulakenyos to stay at home if there is nothing important to do outside and strictly follow the minimum health standard protocols such as social distancing and wearing of face mask and face shield.
The governor earlier also urged them to fight the spread of misinformation in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic as false information causes confusion, fear and anger among the people of the province.
Fernando said the provincial government also stepped up their fight against COVID-19 as they formed the Covid Surge Capacity Design.
One of the measures being implemented is the conversion of the BMC into a full COVID-19 center facility and the Bulacan Infection Control Center (BICC) as the primary COVID-19 referral facility for moderate to critical cases.
According to Fernando, 200 hospital beds will be added in these facilities and there will be no confinement here of non-COVID patients.
He added that Bulacan’s recovery rate remains high at 85 percent (21,392 recoveries out of 25,181 verified affected by the virus in the province).
A total of 3,789 are active cases and there have been 641 deaths.