Patna: Doctor among 18 quarantined after BMP man tests Covid-19 positive

PATNA: Altogether 18 people, including a doctor and 17 BMP personnel, have been quarantined at the Patliputra Sports Complex facility after one of their retired colleagues turned out to be Covid-19 positive on Thursday evening.
The BMP havildar who, had retired on March 31 but could not return home due to the lockdown, was living in the barracks inside the headquarters of the 14th battalion of BMP located near Patna airport.The headquarters of two other battalions, 5th and 10th, are also in the same campus, which has now been declared a containment zone.
At least 600-700 BMP personnel from all three battalions are estimated to be living inside the campus. This is the fourth case of Covid-19 in the state police forces and first in the BMP so far.
Patna deputy DC Richie Pandey, who is monitoring the quarantine procedure, told TOI that 17 personnel who shared the barracks with the retired havildar were quarantined on Thursday night itself.
“The havildar had met a doctor for check-up at the battalion command hospital. He has also been sent to the Patliputra sports complex quarantine facility,” he said, adding, “Samples of all 18 people have been collected and their results were awaited.”
Pandey further said, “The havildar has claimed that he had not gone outside or met anybody from outside the barracks. Under this situation, things would become clear only after test results of all 18 people arrive.”
State police ADG (headquarters) Jitendra Kumar said the retired havildar was native of Gumla in Jharkhand had to stay inside the barrack due to the lockdown.
“He has tuberculosis as well as asthma. He had gone to AIIMS-Patna for check-up on Wednesday due to illness when he was tested and turned out to be Covid-19 positive,” the ADG said.
ADG said core areas of BMP-14 premises were sanitized on Friday. “However, as precautionary measure, department along with help of municipal corporation is also getting sanitized all vehicles and offices of BMP-5 and BMP-10 too along with those of BMP-14,” he added.
PMC commissioner Himanshu Rai said he had instructed executive officer of new capital circle to get the premises along with neighbouring public areas sanitized using mixture of sodium hypochlorite solution. “Sanitization work would continue even on Saturday if it doesn’t get completed on Friday,” he said.
Covid-19 nodal officer Ragini Mishra said the area falling within three kilometres radius of the BMP barrack would a containment zone now. “None would be allowed to leave or enter. Police personnel would have to remain quarantined for 14 days. Door to door survey would be made,” she added.