BUREAU of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag confirmed today that he tested positive for Covid-19.
Bantag made the confirmation two days after BuCor spokesman Gabriel Chaglag disclosed that he also contracted the virus following a swab test conducted last Tuesday.
Before Bantag’s confirmation, Chaclag said two personnel of the BuCor director general earlier also tested positive for Covid-19, prompting the latter to undergo swab test.
Bantag admitted that he experienced symptoms of the virus for two nights such as chills and high temperature.
He said he took paracetamol and vitamin C, and noticed that the symptoms were gone on the third night.
The BuCor chief also confirmed that his driver and close-in security also tested positive for the virus.
Earlier, nine high-profile inmates, including drug convict Jaybee Sebastian — one of the accused-witnesses in the illegal drug trade case filed against opposition senator Leila de Lima before the Regional Trial Court of Muntinlupa City, — died reportedly due to the virus.
As of July, the BuCor has reported 350 confirmed cases of Covid-19 among inmates and prison officers with 21 deaths.