Of the infected police personnel, 907 are posted in the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), police headquarters sources told UNB. Seven members of the law enforcement agency have so far died of coronavirus.
Currently, 4,961 police members are in quarantine and 1,159 are at isolation units of various hospitals. So far, 298 policemen have recovered.
Bangladesh Police has been working on the frontline with the Armed Forces and other government agencies to ensure social distancing and prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Read also: Bangladesh reports 1,162 new cases, 19 deaths
But a lack of protective gears put police personnel in danger. The police headquarters has directed the force to ensure their safety first.
Bangladesh Police recently hired 250-bed Impulse Hospital for the treatment of its members infected by coronavirus.
Meanwhile, 345 people, including incumbent and retired personnel of the Armed Forces and their family members, have gotten admitted to Dhaka’s Combined Military Hospital (CMH) with coronavirus.
Eighty-eight of them have recovered and six others have died. In a statement, the ISPR said those undergoing treatment are doing well.
Read also: Impulse Hospital hired for treatment of police personnel
Bangladesh reported its first coronavirus cases on March 8 and the first death on March 18. In recent weeks, the number of confirmed cases and deaths has been going up.
The government shut down educational institutions and all non-essential services as it declared a general holiday in late March to curb the transmission of the highly contagious virus. The holiday is being extended to May 30.
On Wednesday, the health authorities confirmed 1,162 new cases and 19 deaths – highest for a single day. So far, the country has recorded 17,822 cases and 269 deaths.