The National Bureau of Investigation main headquarters on Taft Ave. in Manila was placed partial lockdown yesterday after one of its detainees died and six others were found to have been infected with COVID-19.
“Nung Sunday, may sinugod sa hospital na isang detainee at nag-expire ito Tuesday,” said NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin.
The NBI spokesman said the dead detainee was a senior citizen and was confirmed to have COVID-19 after the hospital took swab samples and confirmatory polymerase chain reaction test.
Lavin said five NBI detainees and one NBI personnel also tested positive following rapid antibody tests conducted by the Manila Health Office since last Thursday.
“As we speak anim na,” the NBI spokesman disclosed.
Lavin assured that the NBI has isolation rooms where detainees are taken after testing positive for COVID-19.
He said NBI officer-in-charge Eric Distor has placed the NBI headquarters on partial lockdown and will not be accepting “walk-ins.”
“Strictly, yung naka-schedule lang,” said the NBI spokesman. He said that those who have scheduled appointments will be allowed inside, including those issued subpoenas and those with applications for NBI clearance.
Lavin assured that the partial lockdown was imposed due to the scheduled ongoing rapid tests and ongoing disinfection of the NBI that was ordered by Distor.
“Wala munang walk-in dahil meron kaming ongoing rapid testing and disinfection and sanitation,” he explained. (Jeffrey Damicog)
