THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As many as 84 police personnel have tested positive for COVID-19 so far in Kerala, state police chief Loknath Behera said here on Friday. In a message to the public six months after the infection was first reported in the state, the DGP said of the 84, 18 are under treatment at various COVID first line treatment centres in the state.
"It is a matter of concern that the police force is vulnerable to the disease because of the nature of their duties. However, we are trying to reduce the virus spread among the police force and the fight against the virus will continue. As part of it, we have devised new strategies to implement from Saturday by involving senior police officers in the fight against COVID-19 in the wake of the rise in contact cases," Behera said.
He also praised the efforts of policemen in the state in enforcing the lockdown restrictions diligently. "The state police never got any complaint of police excesses in regulating the restrictions. In fact, the enforcement was done in a praiseworthy manner by adhering to the social distancing norms. The police also generated awareness among the public by making small films and sharing them on social media. The police were also hailed for handling the plight of guest workers in the state. We also enforced a triple lockdown in the containment areas," the DGP added.