At least 15 police personnel have so far tested positive for the coronavirus in Karachi, prompting higher authorities to direct senior officers to get tests done of the infected policemen's family members and colleagues, officials and sources said on Monday.

The development comes as 156 of the 227 new coronavirus cases confirmed in Sindh on Monday were detected in Karachi, indicating a rise in local transmission of the virus.

Among the Covid-19 positive policemen are two inspectors and as many sub-inspectors while most of the remaining officials are either head constables or constables deputed at different places in the city.

Except one inspector who tested positive in March, all other policemen tested positive in the last 20 days, according to a list of infected police personnel obtained by Dawn.

Police sources said that one of the policemen who tested positive is a personal staff officer (PSO) to a deputy inspector general (DIG) while another is the driver of another DIG rank officer. Two other such policemen were posted at the offices of as many senior superintendents of police (SSP) in the city.

According to the sources, 22 family members of one Covid-19 positive policeman were tested for the virus, out of whom eight close relatives turned out to be positive. A colleague of an infected policeman also tested positive while the results of tests of several family members and colleagues of other positive policemen are awaited.

A senior officer said that all the infected policemen have been admitted to the isolation wards of different hospitals in the metropolis. Only one police officer was in serious condition who has since “slightly recovered” after treatment at a private hospital.

Meanwhile, Sindh Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar on Monday directed the DIGs and SSPs of all ranges, districts and units to ensure tests are carried out of the family members and colleagues of all policemen who test positive or those personnel whose test results are awaited.

An official notice issued by AIG Welfare Tauqeer Mohammed Naeem directed the DIGs and SSPs to send the reports of tests of police personnel and their families to a focal person appointed by them.

Interviews with police officials conducted by Dawn earlier this month had revealed that thousands of police personnel who were deployed to enforce the lockdown announced by the provincial government to control the spread of Covid-19 found themselves on the frontlines of the crisis without proper personal protective equipment (PPE) or training.

Know more: Karachi police: Protectors of the public or vectors of the coronavirus?

'Not an easy situation'

Also on Monday, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah revealed that 227 new Covid-19 cases emerged in the province during the last 24 hours after 1,600 tests were conducted. Five more people lost their lives from the disease, taking the provincial death toll to 61 in 33 days.

“Out of 227 new cases, 156 belong to Karachi and 71 to other divisions of the province but the local transmission [of the virus] has started wreaking havoc in the city,” Shah said, according to a statement issued by his office.

In a video message, the chief minister while highlighting the gravity of the situation said that 68 cases of local transmission were detected in Karachi's South district, 31 in Central, 65 in East, 23 Korangi, five West and four in Malir.

“This is not an easy situation, therefore, we will have to take some strict and proactive measures to contain it and stop its further spread,” Shah stressed.