Over 2,000 police staff tested Covid-19 positive in Assam

Over 2,000 police personnel in Assam have tested Covid-19 positive so far, of which five died, increasing the worry of the law enforcement agencies dealing with the coronavirus crisis.

According to officials, 2,009 police personnel tested positive till Wednesday of which 1413 personnel already recovered and 546 resumed their duties.

Official sources said most of them contracted the virus while performing their duties either while enforcing the lockdown, maintaining security in the Covid care centres or while ensuring the safety of the VIPs and their senior officers.

"It is really a concern as the number of personnel testing positive is going up despite efforts to prevent spread of the virus. But we are trying very hard to ensure that those infected with the virus are provided all possible care. We are looking after the problems faced by the family members of those who tested positive. After all its a battle we all are facing and we all will have to fight it out," said a senior police officer.

The state police reported the fifth death on Tuesday when Bhuban Liksan, an armed branch constable succumbed to the virus in Dibrugarh in eastern Assam. Liksan had tested positive on August 2. Four others including a woman personnel died earlier.

A total 43 police personnel, whose condition became serious and later recovered, however, donated their plasma at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital recently for treatment of other Covid-19 positive persons, whose condition also turned serious.

Assam's Covid-19 positive cases increased to 50,445 with detection of 2284 cases on Wednesday. A total of 121 persons died due to Covid-19 so far.