Mumbai: At least 53 media persons, mostly from the electronic media, have tested COVID-19 positive after they underwent tests at a special camp organized here last week, an office-bearer said.
During a special camp organised at the Azad Maidan here on April 16 and 17 for COVID-19 testing of scribes, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) collected swab samples of 171 mediapersons, including electronic and print media journalists, photographers and cameramen.
An official in the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that most are said to be asymptomatic cases and all have been sent to home quarantine for now while others' test results are awaited.
Following a request from the TVJA and Mantralaya & Legislature Reporters Association, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had directed the BMC to conduct the special screening camp for media persons.
Coordinated by Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, 171 media-persons including reporters and camera persons were screened on April 16-17 near the Mumbai Press Club, the reports of which have started coming.
The media persons - who mostly perform field duties - were also given tips to ensure their personal safety in public places, wearing masks, using sanitisers, etc in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 543 and the number of cases climbed to 17,265 in the country on Monday, according to the Union health ministry.
Till Sunday, Mumbai recorded 2,724 coronavirus cases and 132 deaths due to the disease. There are 4,203 confirmed coronavirus cases in Maharashtra of which 223 people lost their lives.
The Centre on Monday said that the COVID-19 situation is "especially serious" in Mumbai and Pune along with some other cities.
