Coronavirus | One more accused tests positive in Salem

Policemen involved in the arrest advised to go under quarantine

A man who was arrested by the Salem Town All Women Police in connection with a sexual harassment case tested positive for COVID-19 here on Friday.

The police on Thursday night arrested three persons, including the owner of a beauty parlour, based on a sexual harassment complaint lodged by the parlour staff. The swab samples of the three accused were taken for COVID-19 tests.

The test results revealed that one of the accused was positive and he was shifted to Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital for treatment. About 25 police personnel who arrested the accused and those who were present at the station at the time of arrest have been advised to go under quarantine for 14 days by the senior police officials.

P. Thangadurai, Deputy Police Commissioner (Law and Order), said that the station premises have been disinfected and the police personnel were advised to go under quarantine. He said that a reception tent has been set up outside the station building to receive complaints. This is the second such case of accused turning positive in Salem. An accused who was arrested under the Women Harassment Act by the Salem Steel Plant police had tested positive on Thursday.

Woman tests positive in Erode

A 35-year-old woman, who had returned from Chennai, tested positive for COVID-19 and was shifted to the Government Erode Medical College and Hospital in Perundurai here on Friday.

The woman had reached Salem by flight on Thursday. Her swab sample was taken at the airport and was sent home at Soolai in Erode Corporation limits. On Friday, she tested positive and was immediately shifted to hospital. Her family members were quarantined. With this, the total number of positive case in the district rose to 72 with two active cases undergoing treatment in the hospital as on date. A 40-year-old man who had returned from Maharashtra and tested positive was not added to the district tally as health officials said that the case would be added to the list of returnees from other States.