In Maharashtra, 87 more police personnel have been tested positive for Coronavirus in the last 24 hours taking the total number of policemen affected by COVID-19 in the state to 1,758 on Sunday.
1,575-plus police personnel, including 183 officers, have tested positive around the state and are under treatment in various hospitals. Several thousands of policemen in the state are in quarantine as a precautionary measure.
“87 police personnel of the state found COVID-19 positive in last 24 hours taking the total number of affected personnel to 1,758,” ANI quoted the police as saying.
In Maharashtra, 18 personnel have died due to the virus and 673 have recovered, till now.
In April, Mumbai Police had asked their personnel who are above 55 years of age and having some pre-existing ailment to go on leave, in a bid to protect them from the Coronavirus infection. They have been told not to come for work until the virus is brought under control.
The decision was taken by the Mumbai Police Chief Param Bir Singh after three policemen, who were above the age of 50, died of Coronavirus.
Maharashtra remains the worst-affected by COVID-19 with a total of 47190 cases and 1577 deaths reported so far. 13404 people have recovered from the virus, according to Health Ministry data.
Earlier, on May, 13 Maharashtra had requested the Centre for 20 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to rest its own fatigued police force who have been out on the streets since the March 22.
“Our police force has been working day and night to enforce the lockdown necessitated by the corona pandemic. Now we also have festivals like Eid coming up. We have to make arrangements to maintain law and order. The police need to get some rest. Which is why we have requested 20 companies of the Centre’s Central Armed Police Forces or 2,000 men. The state government has made the request the Central Government,” Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had said.