COVID-19 scare hits Kerala police as 70 cops, including SP, go on quarantine after 3 test positive

Wayanad (Kerala), May 14 ()Coronovirus scare hasgripped the police in the district as around 70 personnel,including their chief, have gone on quarantine as aprecautionary measure after three colleagues tested positivefor the pathogen.

A day after three personnel of Mananthavady policestation tested positive for COVID-19, District Superintendentof Police R Illango said on Thursday he and others decided toquarantine themselves as they had been in contact with someother colleagues from the station.

Twentyfour personnel, including a Deputy Superintendentof Police, have gone on quarantine after giving their samplesfor testing three days ago as a measure of abundant cautionafter a man questioned in Manathavady police station inconnection with a case tested positive for the virus on May 9. Of the 24, results of 18 have been received so far andthree personnel tested positive on Wednesday, following whichthe station has been disinfected and virtually closed andcontact tracing underway. On Wednesday, the SP and some other police personnel hadinteracted with the DySp for close to an hour at a checkpostfollowing which over 40 police personnel have voluntarilydecided to go on quarantine. "We are actually being over cautious.I have spoken to allthe policemen. We know we are in high risk job. We areconcerned that we might spread it to family members, public,or colleagues. So we want to maintain extreme caution",Illango, who is on home quarantine,told . With the three personnel testing positivein thestate,Kerala Director General of Police Loknath Behera saidthe force should take all necessary precautions and fearlesslygo ahead in the fight against the virus. The three from Manathavady are believed to have contractedthe virus after they came in contact with a man who was calledto the station in connection with a case on April 28 and May2. He later tested positive for COVID-19 on May 9. This man is suspected to be a contact of a truck driver,who has turned out to be a super spreader after returning tothe district from Chennai's Koyambedu market, a hotspot, andhad infected at least 10 others, including his wife, motherand grandchild, The Mananthavady police station has been disinfected withthe help of Health department and Fire Force personnel. Computers and wireless equipment have been shifted toother police buildings and the station's charge has beentemporarily given to Vallamunda Station House Officer, arelease from the DGP's office said. Two police personnel wearing personal protectionequipment (PPE) kits would be at the station to take care ofnecessary work and a health worker posted to help them, itsaid. Police personnel from other stations have been mobilisedto meet any shortage, Illangosaid adding they need not cometo the police station but directly go to the duty points. Meanwhile, the district health authorities said thestandard operating procedure (SOP) has been initiated as soonas the test results of the three came by Wednesday noon. Accordingly, all personnel who were on duty were sent tonearby lodges and resorts for quarantine. One of the policeman who tested positive had been toSulthan Bathery police station and Muthanga area, where theDySP and few other officials were also present. This is being seen as a lapse on the part of the policedepartment. However, police sources said none had directed the 24personnel, whose samples were collected on Monday, to go onquarantine or abstain from duty. The health department is trying to map out the contactlist of the police personnel to contain further spread fromtheir direct and secondary contacts. According to police sources, the Sulthan Bathery CircleInspector, two sub-inspectors and about 18 police personnel ofthe Mananthavady police station are among those who have beenput on quarantine. As part of containment measures, the courts in SulthanBathery and Mananthavady have been closed on Thursday,officials said. CORR UDVS VS