INDRANIL MUKHERJEE via Getty Images Policemen in hazmat suits at a COVID-19 coronavirus testing drive inside the Dharavi slums in Mumbai.

NAGPUR, Maharashtra: At least 53 journalists in Mumbai have tested positive for COVID-19 and the number is likely to go up, officials said on Monday.

Shiv Sena leader and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s health committee member Amey Ghole told HuffPost India that samples of 167 Mumbai journalists had been collected for the test.

“Out of 167 samples, 53 have come positive for COVID 19. The number could go up,” Ghole told HuffPost India.

The samples were collected at a special camp held by the BMC last week for journalists working in the field.

These 53 journalists include reporters, cameramen of news channels and photojournalists.

In a letter, written to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Mumbai Press Club president Gurbir Singh expressed “dismay and shock” over the news of 53 journalists reporting positive of coronavirus.