Eighth police official succumbs to coronavirus

Another police official succumbed to the deadly novel coronavirus infection in Karachi on Wednesday, bringing the total number of cops who have succumbed to COVID-19 across Sindh to eight.

Apart from those who have already lost their lives to the virus, some 409 police officials, including five senior officers, across the province have either been admitted to various hospitals and isolation centres or they are observing self-isolation at home. According to the authorities, Special Security Unit (SSU) commando Rashid died of COVID-19 on Wednesday. He had been performing security duty in the city’s District Central during the preventive lockdown against local transmission of the virus.

A senior police officer told The News that a total of 409 police officials have so far been infected with the novel coronavirus, of whom 133 have recovered while eight have lost their lives.

He said five senior officers among 269 officials remain infected with the virus, adding that the Karachi Range police officials are at the top among law enforcers who have fallen victim to COVID-19. He said 260 of the 409 officials belong to the Karachi Range, saying District Malir was the most affected. The police officials who have already lost their lives include a sub-inspector deployed at an Ehsaas Emergency Cash programme collection centre in the city’s Razzaqabad neighbourhood, where he dealt with hundreds of people queueing up to receive Rs12,000 under Prime Minister Imran Khan’s relief package.

While on duty, the official contracted the deadly coronavirus. He was shifted to a hospital after his test results came in as positive. Reports from the facility indicated that his condition had been worsening continuously before he passed away.