After 44 staffers at the Nepal Police Headquarters in Naxal, Kathmandu, tested positive for Covid-19, infection fears have heightened among those police personnel working on the field with limited safety gear.

“With nine new cases confirmed on Thursday, the number of coronavirus infections among the officers in the police headquarters has reached 44. The infected officers are undergoing treatment at the Armed Police Force Hospital in Balambu,” said SSP Kuber Kadayat, spokesperson for the Nepal Police. “We have also limited the number of visitors to the police headquarters following the infection outbreak. We are only admitting those people with urgent services.”

After the government decided to lift the four-month-long lockdown on July 21, there were concerns that the decision might have been taken in haste. Public health experts had warned that Kathmandu Valley could become a new coronavirus hotspot due to overpopulation, non regulated people’s movement and a lack of safety measures.

According to Inspector Hemanta Bikram Thapa of Nagdhunga Police Beat, public mobility has increased in Nagdhunga, one of the entry points to Kathmandu Valley, after the lockdown was lifted.

“Everyday people from different districts enter the Valley and we have to keep their information record, for which physical distancing is difficult to maintain. We have to get close to the people to ask for their information, which is very risky at this time,” said Thapa. “Although we use face masks, gloves and hand sanitisers, it’s still not safe for us, as we are surrounded by people most of the time.”

According to data provided by the Metropolitan Police Circle in Thankot, a total of 3,710 people entered the Valley in the last 24 hours.

“We have to go to the field everyday to control crime, so maintaining social distancing is almost impossible,” said an officer on condition of anonymity.
He added polymerase chain reaction tests have been made mandatory for all crime suspects before they are presented before court, but when the suspects are held in police custody, there is no provision of testing, which has raised the risk of coronavirus infection among law enforcement officers.

According to the data provided by Nepal Police, 222 personnel across the country have contracted Covid-19 so far; 101 have made successful recovery.

“Most police personnel after finishing their day’s duty return to their respective barracks and stations. So if one officer contracted the virus, there is a high risk of the infection spreading among other officers,” said Hemanta Malla, the former deputy inspector general. “The regular policing work could be affected if a large number of police officers caught the infection at once.”

Kadayat, the spokesperson for Nepal Police, said although the rise in coronavirus infections among police personnel has increased the workload and stress for other on-duty officers, the regular law enforcement work will not be affected.

“The coronavirus won't affect regular policing work, as we have made plans and policies for such situations and we will work accordingly,” said Kadayat.

He added that the Nepal Police is currently working to manage the police barracks and disinfect police barracks and stations.

“Meanwhile, we have instructed the officers working in the field to exercise caution and follow all safety measures while approaching people during their regular duty,” said Kadayat.