A total of 600 personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) as of Wednesday.

In a statement, the PCG said the new figure came after 71 new cases were reported on Tuesday, bringing the PCG’s active cases to 297.

“Said personnel are immediately pulled out from their stations and provided with medical assistance and other resource support for immediate recovery,” the PCG said.

Aside from the new infections, it said there were 45 new recoveries, bringing the PCG’s total recoveries at 303.

The new cases, it said, were personnel who were infected after serving in the frontlines of the Covid-19 pandemic, including those assisting returning overseas Filipinos and their families, locally stranded individuals, other front-liners, as well as maritime stakeholders including fishermen, ship crew, and cargo truck drivers.

To prevent infection and further spread of Covid-19 among its ranks, the PCG said it conducts regular swab tests and provides its personnel with supplies of vitamins, personal protective equipment (PPE) sets, and other medical supplies necessary in the performance of their duties.

“Aside from having rest periods and work breaks, the men and women of the PCG undergo debriefing sessions to uphold their well-being amid the ongoing pandemic,” the PCG said.

The PCG is also exploring the use of ultraviolet light to aid the manual disinfection of workspaces and living areas, the establishment of a quarantine facility exclusive to PCG officers and personnel, and the review of meals served to frontline personnel to ensure proper nutrition.

Earlier, PCG Spokesperson Commodore Armando Balilo said that while the PCG exercises care and caution to avoid infections among its personnel, their exposure to the frontlines increases their chance of infection.

Currently, the PCG has 16,912 personnel, 1,776 of which are commissioned, officers. (PNA)