11% Of New York Police Department Workforce Are Sick & 512 Have Tested Positive For Coronavirus

As coronavirus pandemic halts normal life across the world, governments are launching measures to help their respective countries to navigate the rising threat posed by the virus.

United States now has the most number of coronavirus related cases after a surge in last few days. Latest figures show the confirmed cases of the virus have crossed 1 lakh.

Reuters

The United States has around 15,000 more confirmed cases then the second country on the list, Italy, and 20,000 more than China, where the disease was first identified but has since peaked. The bustling city-state of New York is the epicentre of the country's coronavirus crisis.

New York City has reported nearly 30% of the US's coronavirus cases. More than 20,000 people there have been infected (though that's only those who have been tested), and at least 280 people across New York's five boroughs have died - accounting for one-quarter of all US COVID-19 deaths.

The affect of the COVID-19 has been such that New York Police Department (NYPD) official has told CNN that 11% workforce of the department has called in sick.

A senior NYPD official also told the news channel that 512 NYPD employees had tested positive for coronavirus as of Friday morning, up 161 since Thursday evening. Of them, 442 are uniformed members and 70 are civilian members.

Reuters

The official said 4,122 employees were out sick on Friday.

Last week, the city¡¯s police union filed a complaint with the New York State Public Employee Safety and Health Bureau saying the department has failed to provide adequate protective equipment and training to its officers.

Earlier on March 23, a reserve police officer in San Jose, California, tested positive for coronavirus, 20 of his colleagues were quarantined. Another 10 full-time employees from the police department¡¯s family violence unit were also asked to stay home.

Across the US, the coronavirus pandemic has confronted police departments big and small with difficult questions about how to keep a functioning police force if fewer personnel are able to report to work.

Worried that officers will fall sick, departments are urging officers to limit their interactions with the public ¨C a fundamental change in policing in the country.