Coronavirus: Pune traffic police stop breathalyser test to check for drink driving

Officials of the Maharashtra state health department said that coronavirus spreads through sneezing and coughing and the use of breathalyser in such a condition could cause infection

The city traffic police will discontinue breathalyser tests against the backdrop of positive cases of Covid-19 (coronavirus) being reported in the city.

In the wake of the fatal coronavirus, city police have temporarily stopped the breathalyser test However, cops will conduct routine checks to catch drunk drivers (HT/PHOTO)

As many as ten patients have tested positive for Covid-19 and quarantined to Pune Municipal Corporation-run Naidu Hospital as of Friday, according to Naval Kishore Ram, district collector.

Anil Patil, public relations officer, traffic branch, said, “We have decided to discontinue the use of breathalyser tests in the wake of positive cases of Covid-19 being reported in the city. It is not possible to clean the device after every test and so there are chances of people getting infected with the virus.”

Officials of the Maharashtra state health department said that coronavirus spreads through sneezing and coughing and the use of breathalyser in such a condition could cause infection.

Sanjay Shinde, additional commissioner of police, administration, said, “We will stop the use of breathalyser tests in our drink and drive exercise.”