Woman police officer who returned from Chennai tests positive for Covid-19 in Coimbatore

COIMBATORE: A 32-year-old woman police officer, who was posted as a probation officer in the district collectorate, tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday. She had travelled to Chennai for a training programme before the lockdown and returned to Coimbatore last week.

The officer resumed duty and decided to get herself tested as her colleague in Chennai tested positive recently.

This case is not being added to Coimbatore’s tally of cases, as the official contracted the virus in Chennai.

Officials confirmed that the official had not quarantined herself for 14 days and joined duty as probation officer within two days of reaching Coimbatore. She had no symptoms.

Corporation health officials collected nasal samples from 50 residents in prisoner’s quarters in Gandhipuram, where the officer stayed. She had also reportedly travelled across the city and to Pollachi in the last one week.

“There are 17 families in the quarters. We may collect more samples on Tuesday,” said a corporation official. "We are also drawing up a list of people she was in close contact with at the collectorate," he added.

Besides this, on Sunday, two other passengers who flew into the city from Chennai tested positive.