940 HEALTH WORKERS, 954 OFFICIALS, COPS INFECTED

HARYANA

KARNAL : Deployed on Covid duty in hospitals, containment zones, quarantine centres and testing labs, health workers and police personnel are vulnerable to catching the virus.

According to the state health department, 12% of the infected persons in the state are doctors, paramedics, police and government officials deputed to save lives of infected persons.

By July 7, the state had 940 infected health workers, which is around 5% of the 17,999 patients. As many as 954 (around 6%) state police personnel, army and government officials have tested positive in Haryana as per latest figures.“There is no need to worry as most of the infected health staff workers have recovered and resumed duty,” says Haryana health services director Dr Suraj Bhan Kamboj.

Dr Anjali, an ENT specialist at the Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College and Hospital, Karnal, who tested positive on April 6, recalls, “It was shocking for me as I was worried about my two-yearold daughter and husband. But my family and colleagues supported me and I recovered to join duty after 26 days.”

POLICING RISKY DESPITE PRECAUTIONS

The state reported the first Covid 19 death involving a police personnel on April 4 as a sub-inspector died of coronavirus at the Maharaja Agrasen Hospital in Delhi. On June 1, a sub-inspector of Haryana Police posted in Gurugram also succumbed to the virus. Barring the two cases, police personnel have defeated the virus and resumed duty .

Lata Rani, an ASI in Panipat, got infected along with her two brothers and parents on April 24. It took her 25 days to recover.

Haryana DGP Manoj Yadava says, “The number of infected cops is low as compared to other states. Policing is risky in these times despite all precautionary measures. We issued a detailed protocol and training was also suspended to avoid the spread of infection.”

Bharti Arora, IGP, Karnal range, says district police heads have been asked to monitor and provide all facilities if personnel test positive.