By Jay Krishna Yadav, Sunsari, Aug. 3: A policeman working in the Sunsari District Police Office who also ran canteen inside the office has tested positive for COVID-19.

Chief of the district police office, Kamal Thapa, said that contact tracing of those who happened to have been in direct contact with the infected policeman had already started.

The policeman lived in the office with his family and most policemen would take tea in his canteen.

It is found that the infected policeman used to deliver tea and snack by visiting different office rooms and he would also visit market for shopping vegetables and other necessary goods for his canteen.

District police chief Thapa said the PCR test of the swabs of at least 40 police persons who came in close contact with the infected would be carried out immediately.

The district police office said that those who were in direct contact with the infected would be deployed for their duties in an alternative way. Instead of sealing off the office immediately, the police office is preparing for taking necessary steps once the result of the PCR report of the first lot of swabs is received.

Swabs of 30 police personnel including chief of the Sunsari District Police Office was collected for PCR   test a couple of days ago, according to Sunsari District Health Office. Of the 30 persons' swab test, only one was found positive.

Sagar Prasain, Chief of the Sunsari District Health Office, said as a staff working inside the office was found positive for the virus, it was not appropriate for the time being to allow those policemen inside the office go out of the office premises.

He said that the health office was coordinating with the police office in this regard.