After 2 cops test COVID-19 positive, personnel at police station in Wayanad sent to home quarantine

May 13, 2020

Wayanad (Kerala) [India], May 14 : With two policemen at Mananthavady police station testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, all personnel from the police station who have given samples and also those who are on duty have been directed to go into home quarantine.
The advisory was issued by Wayanad police chief R Ilango.
Earlier on Wednesday Kerala health minister KK Shailaja had said that the two police personnel posted in Wayanad had come in contact with a truck driver who got affected after he returned from Koyambedu market in Chennai.
The policemen hailed from Malappuram and Kannur districts were on duty in Wayanad, she said.
An Immediate Action Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) read: "All persons on duty today in Mananthavady PS are sent to nearby lodges and resorts for quarantine."
"Station guard is retained and Fire and DMO are advised to disinfect and fumigate the station as per protocol followed for COVID hospitals," it read.
Reserve/Extra men from the subdivision are mobilized and posted directly to duty points in Mananthavady for enforcing existing Hotspot containment.
Additional Superintendent of Police will hold the charge of the Manathavady Subdivision and ISHO Vellamunda shall hold temporary charge of Mananthavady Police Station until further orders.
Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS), IAPS and wireless communication will function from nearby SMS DySP office.
"To and fro movement into the police station shall be avoided to the maximum possible extent. For unavoidable circumstances, is restricted to two policemen who will wear PPE and will be assisted by a medical professional," the SOP read.
Kerala reported a total of 10 new COVID-19 cases in the state on Wednesday of which four were foreign returnees.
Three patients from Malappuram district, two from Wayanad and Palakkad districts, and one each from Kottayam, Kannur and Kozhikode districts were reported.