77 Mumbai policemen test positive after 3,446 undergo rapid antigen test

While 726 Maharashtra Police personnel has been founded to be infected with SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease, in the past four days and five fresh deaths have also been reported, as the overall toll in the state police force climbed to 98.

Another 77 Mumbai Police personnel has tested coronavirus disease (Covid-19) positive among 3,446, who underwent mass rapid antigen detection (RAD) tests.

Mumbai Police authorities have started conducting mass RAD tests of their personnel in a bid to prevent the spread of the viral outbreak among the frontline workers. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

So far, around 3,800 Mumbai Police personnel has tested Covid-19 positive

and 54 have succumbed to the viral disease.

While 726 Maharashtra Police personnel has been founded to be infected with SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease, in the past four days and five fresh deaths have also been reported, as the overall toll in the state police force climbed to 98.

Mumbai Police authorities have started conducting mass RAD tests of their personnel in a bid to prevent the spread of the viral outbreak among the frontline workers battling the contagion since the pandemic was initially reported in mid-March.

Akin to reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, the mass RAD tests also detect the presence of molecular pathogens of SARS-CoV-2. It takes about eight hours to get an RT-PCR test result, but usually, the RAD test’s outcome, which uses nasal swab samples, is available within 30 minutes.

Initially, the Mumbai Police authorities want to conduct the mass RAD tests among personnel, who are in the 44-55 age group and also exposed to Covid-19 hotspots in the city. Later, the younger personnel will undergo a similar test.

Naval Bajaj, joint commissioner of police (Joint CP) (administration), Mumbai Police, said 308 and 3,171 officials and constabulary personnel, respectively, in the 44-55 age groups underwent mass RAD tests, of whom 77 tested Covid-19 positive.

The symptomatic Covid-19 patients, who also have comorbidities, have to undergo treatment in four dedicated Covid Care Centres for police personnel in the city.

The eastern region police stations such as Kurla, Chembur, Govandi, Mankhurd, Ghatkopar, Vikhroli, and Mulund topped the maximum Covid-19 positive cases at 27, followed by west, central and south with 21, 17 and 12 cases, respectively.

In the west region, nine personnel from Khar police station, including its chief, was found to be infected on Tuesday.

The Khar police station chief, who is asymptomatic, is under self-quarantine at home, while five other symptomatic personnel has been shifted to Lilavati Hospital.

An inspector and investigating officer (IO) of actor Salman Khan’s 2002 hit-and-run case, who is currently posted at Vile Parle police station, has also tested Covid-19 positive.

Mumbai Police’s local arms division — a reserve unit – has reported the maximum number of Covid-19 positive cases at 785 to date.

Of the 94 police stations in the city, LT Marg has topped the list with 57 Covid-19 positive cases, followed by Sir JJ Marg and Marine Drive police stations with 46 and 43 cases, respectively.

Vinayak Deshmukh, assistant inspector-general of police (law & order), Maharashtra Police, said of the 8,958 police personnel, who had tested Covid-19 positive, 6,962 have recovered from their viral infection.

“Many recovered police personnel have also resumed their duties, as they are no longer afraid of the viral disease unlike the initial days of the outbreak,” Deshmukh said.

Vinoy Kumar Choubey, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and additional director general of police (law and order), Mumbai Police, has also tested Covid-19 positive recently.

A few junior IPS officers, who had tested Covid-19 positive, have recovered from their viral infection and have joined work.