Rapid Antigen Tests Conducted In 94 Police Stations In Mumbai

The health administration is working day and night to control the spread of the novel coronavirus in Mumbai. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the city has recorded 1,05,829 COVID-19 positive cases and the death toll is nearing the 6,000-mark. The prevalence of the deadly virus is increasing every day in the frontline workers, especially the police force. In order to curb the rising number of cases in the police force, the Rapid Antigen Detection Test (RADT) has been started. It was conducted in 94 police stations in Mumbai on Friday.

As per a report by the Mumbai Police, there are 1,773 active cases in the Maharashtra Police Force. This includes 204 senior officers and 1,569 police personnel. It has also been reported that 90 police personnel have succumbed to the deadly virus in the state. According to the Mumbai Regional Division, the Mumbai police force has the highest number of infected police personnel. Keeping this in mind, the Mumbai Police Force has decided to conduct the Antigen testing from July 24 to July 29.

The tests will be conducted only on police personnel between the age group of 45 and 55. According to the data in the report of the Mumbai Police department, 50 per cent of the infected police personnel were either on duty in the containment zone area or their office was in that area. And about 45 per cent of the police who succumbed to the virus, were residents of or near the containment zones. The rest of the police showed symptoms of high blood pressure and diabetes

The report further suggests 33.24 per cent of patients are found in the age group of 31 to 40 years in the police force. In other words, one out of three patients in the force is in the age group of 31 to 40. Followed by that, about 28 per cent of the cases are found in the age group of 20 to 30. While the number of infected patients in the age group of 40 to 50 years is 22 per cent, the number of cases above the age group of 50 years is about 17 per cent. Although the Mumbai police force has found the highest number of positive cases in the younger age groups, about 82 per cent of the deaths are found in personnel over 50 years of age.

The report further suggests that the highest number of patients are in the Armed Police Force with a total of 785. This is followed by 372 cops in the Western Region, 341 in South Zone, 323 in Central Zone, 211 in North Zone, 184 in East Zone, 164 in Defense and Security, 141 in Motor Vehicles, 133 in Transport, 67 in Crime Branch, 36 Wireless, 34 Special Branch-1, 21 in Financial Crimes and 9 in Special Branch-2.

In India, COVID-19 was earlier diagnosed with the Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests. However, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) approved RADT's recently in order to make the testing process faster. The Antigen method of testing is much cheaper and provides results in just 30 minutes.