5 cops test positive for Covid in Hassan & Mandya

In all, five police personnel from the region have tested positive for Covid-19, so far. While four police personnel, including a sub-inspector from Holenarasipur town and rural police stations have tested positive for Covid-19, in Hassan district, a head constable tested positive in Mandya district.

A head constable deputed at a quarantine centre at KR Pet town and a Child Development Protection Officer, who was deputed as in-charge of containment zones in Malavalli town, have tested positive in Mandya district. The urban and rural police stations in KR Pet taluk in Mandya district, were closed for four days and the station activities were shifted to Kikkeri station.

It is a huge challenge for the authorities concerned to trace the primary and secondary contacts of the frontline workers, like doctors, paramedics, police officers and Asha workers, as they come in contact with a large number of people every day, as part of their duty.

In Holenarasipur, two personnel and an SI were deputed on a 15-day duty at a checkpost in Nippani, Belagavi district. They returned to the town on Sunday. They were under home quarantine. Upon testing their samples, they were found to be positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday. The jeep driver, who had gone to pick up the police personnel too has tested positive. In all, four persons from the department have tested positive in Hassan district.

The authorities swung into action and closed all shops in Holenarsipur town, as a precautionary measure.

The localities where the personnel were on home quarantine have been sealed down. Assistant Commissioner Naveen Bhat visited the spot and directed the officials to spray disinfectants and erect barricades, to prevent the movement of people.

According to the guidelines, the Police department is not deploying personnel, aged above 55 years, on Covid 19 duty. Besides, the staff are regularly monitored. It is mandatory for the personnel on duty to get sanitised and to use gloves.

After Mandya, it is Hassan, which is facing the challenge of migrants from Maharashtra. Hassan district is continuously reporting a spike in Covid cases, since the past few days. It breached the 100-mark and stood at 121 cases on Tuesday.

However, the declining cases is a big relief for Mandya. While there were no positive cases on Tuesday, it reported one case on Wednesday morning. The number of results awaited is approximately 1,100 cases and the administration hopes that the figures will continue to decline in the coming days.