COVID KILLS POLICE OFFICER …About 70 More Test Positive Nationwide

A senior police officer, in the rank of a Chief Inspector stationed at the Koforidua Central Police Station, is reported to have died of the deadly COVID-19 virus last Friday, May 29.

The late Chief Inspector, aged 55, has been described as one of the most professional senior police officers in the Eastern Regional capital and he  was loved and admired by all for the way he want about his duties.

Quite recently, the late officer was honoured by the Police Administration when he refused a to accept a handsome and mouthwatering amount of money that was offered him as bribe by a notorious drugs dealer who was arrested red handed dealing in the banned substance.

His death sparked a free-for-all wailing and uncontrolled mourning among his colleague officers and the police fraternity across Koforidua over the weekend.

Starrfm.com.gh reported that a medical team from the Ghana Health Service led by Dr. Abu Armel, Public Health Physician at the Eastern Regional Health Directorate, Regional Disease Control Officer Sally Tetteh Emmanuel, visited the Central Police Station Saturday evening to inform and sensitize officers at the station that the cause of death was “probably Covid-19”.

The medical team said they would return to Police barracks to take samples of occupants and close associates who had contact with the deceased senior police officer.

The late senior police officer was on admission at the Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua for few days before his death. Before that, he had complained of not feeling well and had sought medical attention at the Police Clinic in Koforidua and then the Newland Hospital.

The cause of death was not immediately known until sample results released after his death reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.

Samples of health workers at Police Clinic and Newland Hospital have also been taken by the Medical team for testing.

The New Publisher has gathered that in all some 70 policemen nationwide have tested positive for COVID -19 with 22 of them fully recovered so far.

The 22 recovered includes the 7 who first tested positive in Bolga. The rest are at various isolation centers across the country.

It is also reported that some inmates in police custody at a number of police stations have also tested positive for COVID-19 and in all instances, medical authorities had been brought in to do the needful to address the situation.

By the nature of their jobs, the police service stands a high risk of infection because they come into daily contact with all manner of persons.

They clearly fall within the front-line workers although a majority of people hardly appreciate their efforts and contribution.