The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) reported that 76 inmates of the highly-congested penal facilities have been isolated for suspicion of having the virus, while 81 BuCor personnel are also being isolated for suspected infection. According to Malacañang's weekly report submitted to the Congress Oversight Committee on Monday, April 13, there are currently 74 inmates considered as persons under monitoring (PUMs) and two inmates as patients under investigation (PUI) as of April 7. The report still used the old PUM and PUI classifications. The Department of Health (DOH) announced on weekend the new classifications of COVID-19 cases that follow provisions from the World Health Organization’s interim guidance on global surveillance for COVID-19. The new classifications are: “suspect,” “probable” and “confirmed.” "These PUMs and PUIs are being monitored for symptoms and have been isolated from the rest of the prison population in designated quarantine and isolation areas in various BuCor facilities," said in the Malacañang report. Furthermore, "the BuCor has already coordinated with partner hospitals should there be a need to transport these PUMs and PUIs for medical treatment.” However, the report did not elaborate on the exposures of the 76 inmates but mentioned the 80 BuCor personnel who were also considered PUIs while one was considered PUM. With 7 facilities nationwide, including the New Bilibid Prison with a 337% congestion rate, the report did not provide a breakdown of facilities where these inmates and personnel are located. BuCor said that they have set up temporary tents in the New Bilibid Prison to decongest the national penitentiary and that a "COVID-19 24-hour monitoring center has been established in the NBP Administration Building."
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