2096 Karachi policemen infected by novel coronavirus: spokesman

KARACHI: In Karachi 2096 members of the police force have been infected by novel coronavirus, quoting a spokesperson of Sindh Police, ARY News reported on Saturday.

“In last two days, 171 policemen have been infected by coronavirus,” police department said in a statement.

Since the emergence of the pandemic 16 policemen, including officers, have been martyred while performing their duty, a spokesperson said. Fourteen policemen have succumbed to the disease in Karachi and two in Hyderabad Police Range, according to the spokesman.

Presently 1584 policemen have been under treatment, Sindh Police spokesman said.

Since emergence of the first case of COVID-19 in Karachi in the last week of February this year, the pandemic has ravaged all parts of Pakistan.

Earlier, SSP Sukkur had released a bi-monthly report on coronavirus cases in the police department, which had confirmed 159 positive cases of the virus in officers and other personnel in the region during two months.

“The infected officers and department staff were posted at 22 police stations of Sukkur district,” the report said.

The infected department staff also included personnel in traffic police, according to the report.

“Among total 159 infected policemen, 36 have defeated the coronavirus,” the report said.

The policemen were infected of the coronavirus while performing their duty, SSP Sukkur said.

Over 146 inmates and jail staffers were tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Sukkur Central Jail in the end days of June.

According to Sukkur Central Jail authorities, a total of 1600 tests were conducted, of which 146 tested positive for COVID-19.

The authorities said that 93 people, out of 146 positive case, were recovered from the disease including 85 prisoners and eight jail staffers.

In May, over 200 inmates and nine warders had tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Karachi Central Jail.