MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) announced Thursday it would conduct “targeted” COVID-19 testing in select jail facilities to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said this as the country observed an increase in the number of COVID-19 infected inmates in various jails nationwide.

“Sa ating pakikipag-ugnayan sa Bureau of Corrections at BJMP (Bureau of Jail Management and Penology), makakapag-conduct po tayo ng targeted testing sa mga pasilidad kung saan ito kina-kailangan,” Vergeire said in a televised press briefing.

(In coordination with the Bureau of Corrections and the BJMP, we will conduct targeted testing in jail facilities where it is needed.)

Vergeire said the DOH, the Department of Justice, the World Health Organization, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have already conducted an initial assessment and investigation on how COVID-19 cases were being managed in the said facilities.

The BJMP previously reported that 195 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) have contracted the infectious respiratory disease, 185 of whom are detained in Cebu City Jail, nine in Quezon City Jail and one in Mandaue City Jail.