Nearly 1,000 Delhi police personnel test Covid positive amid surge in cases

On Monday the Delhi police in an official statement informed that around 1000 police personnel had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. 

This included Public Relations Officer and Additional Commissioner Chinmoy Biswal. 

They also informed that all the infected persons are in quarantine. 

Statement comes amid a worrying surge in Covid cases in the national capital. 

"At least 1000 police personnel have been infected. They belong to different units of the force and are under quarantine," said a senior police officer in an update.

The overall strength of the Delhi Police is over 80,000.

Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana had issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for preventing the spread of the coronavirus among police personnel.

It is imperative they take adequate precautions to protect themselves from exposure to Covid, it said.

According to the SOP, all police personnel should wear face-masks, maintain social distancing and practise proper hand hygiene while performing their duties.

All police personnel and eligible family members who have not been vaccinated may be motivated to complete the vaccination process.

"Those who have not been vaccinated due to medical reasons may be encouraged to seek medical opinion again for vaccination," it said.