53 mediapersons test coronavirus positive in Mumbai

During a special camp organised at the Azad Maidan on April 16 and 17 for COVID-19 testing of scribes, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) collected swab samples of 171 mediapersons, including electronic and print media journalists, photographers and cameramen.

At least 53 mediapersons from Mumbai have tested positive for coronavirus, a city civic official said on Monday.

Mumbai police march at Dadar Shivaji Park during the nationwide lockdown, imposed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic in Mumbai, on Friday, April 17, 2020. (Satish Bate/HT Photo)

During a special camp organised at the Azad Maidan here on April 16 and 17 for COVID-19 testing of scribes, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) collected swab samples of 171 mediapersons, including electronic and print media journalists, photographers and cameramen.

“Out of the 171 mediapersons, 53 tested positive for coronavirus,” BMC spokesperson Vijay Khabale said, adding that most of those who tested positive are asymptomatic at present.

All the mediapersons found infected with coronavirus will be kept in isolation and a process was underway to find out suitable places to the purpose, he said.

Efforts were also on to trace their high and low risk contacts.

On Monday night, the BMC decided to isolate the 53 media persons at a hotel in Goregaon for the next 14 days.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar has decided to place herself under quarantine after some journalists with whom she had interacted recently tested positive for the coronavirus infection.

Till Monday, Mumbai recorded 3,032 COVID-19 cases with 139 deaths.