Television cameramen take pictures of India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is on his way to submit his resignation to President Pratibha Patil at the presidential palace in New Delhi May 18, 2009. The Congress-led coalition eyed possible new allies on Monday after a decisive general election victory raised hopes of a stable government and sent financial markets soaring. REUTERS/Arko Datta (INDIA POLITICS)
BY Mayowa Tijani
At least 53 journalists have tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in India.
About 25 of the journalists are said to be from a single television station in Chennai, a city of about seven million people.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said of the 167 journalists results received so far, 53 came in positive with the likelihood of more cases as more test results trickle in.
“Out of 167 samples, 53 have come positive for COVID 19. The number could go up,” Amey Ghole, BMC health committee member told HuffPost India.
In a statement by Gurbir Singh, the president of Mumbai Press Club, most of the journalists are “asymptomatic and have been quarantined”.
The president asked the regional authorities to provide insurance cover for journalists as “frontline personnel” too.
“Most of the journalists – photojournalists, video journalists, and reporters – are fortunately asymptomatic and have been quarantined and being looked after by the BMC health authorities,” the club president said
“Most media houses have shut their offices and have not provided any protective gear or special insurance to these frontline personnel.
“However, they continue to demand reports and visuals and expect the journalists to move around the city risking life and limb… The state government has been providing special insurance cover for all emergency and essential categories of workers who are tackling the coronavirus pandemic for the sum of Rs.50 lakh ($65,778).
“Since journalists are performing an ‘essential service’, it is requested that the category of working journalists be brought under the same umbrella with a cover of Rs.50 lakh and provided the protection of an essential worker.”
India has recorded 21,700 cases since the disease broke out in the country in March, with 686 deaths so far.
Editor’s Note: The photograph above is illustrative — it does not show the actual journalists who tested positive for COVID-19
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