Athens police officers in quarantine after detainee tests positive for Covid

Fourteen policemen from the Agios Panteleimonas precinct in central Athens were on Tuesday ordered to quarantine themselves for a seven-day period after it emerged that a man they had detained has tested positive for the coronavirus, reports said.

The detainee, a Somalian national, was transferred to Evangelismos Hospital after telling police he felt unwell and subsequently tested positive for Covid-19, Skai TV reported.

The precinct has been disinfected.

In a related development, nine police officers serving in the Thessaloniki area have tested positive for the coronavirus in the past week, the head of the local police union has said.

In comments late on Monday, Theodoros Tsairidis said the first case was confirmed at the Thermi traffic police department.

The ninth case was an officer from the Security Department of Thessaloniki’s Airport Police Directorate who tested positive while on leave.

Alarmed by the infections among officers, Tsairidis said he had sent a letter to the ministers of health and citizens’ protection, requesting mandatory tests for all officers returning from vacation.

A recent circular issued by the Health Ministry made diagnostic tests mandatory for returning doctors and health workers.