COVID-19 cases in paramilitary forces cross 530, 78% in Delhi

Around 422 cases were reported from Delhi, including 158 from CRPF, 138 from BSF, all 94 from ITBP, 14 from CISF and 18 from SSB

NEW DELHI: More than 45 COVID-19 positive cases were reported from paramilitary forces, taking the tally to 537. According to the data, over 78 per cent of the cases have been reported in Delhi.

On Friday, a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) official died of Coronavirus in Kolkata, taking death toll to five in paramilitary forces. The data accessed by the Millennium Post revealed that 30 new cases were reported in Border Security Force (BSF), 12 in Indo-tibetan Border Police (ITBP), three in Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), one in Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and one in CISF.

The Assistant Sub Inspector-rank official, posted at the Indian Museum security unit in Kolkata, was the second CISF personnel to die of the virus.

“The initial source of infection is still not clear,” an official said. Earlier a 55-year-old CISF head constable posted at the Mumbai International Airport had succumbed to Coronavirus.

About 35 positive cases were reported from CISF, including 14 from Delhi, 15 from Mumbai, four from Kolkata and two from Uttar Pradesh.

“More than 10 personnel have also recovered from the virus,” the official said.

In BSF, 30 new cases, six from Delhi and 24 from Tripura were reported on Friday, taking the tally to 225 and 138 in Delhi.

Two BSF men have recovered and two deaths were reported from the force. The BSF spokesperson said in a statement that all of them are under the best available medical care at Aiims-jhajjar and G B Pant Hospital, Agartala.

Over 70 BSF personnel in Tripura were tested positive for COVID-19.

According to the official, during COVID-19 tests, around 85-90 per cent of their personnel were tested negative.

Meanwhile, in ITBP, 12 new cases were reported on Friday, taking the tally to 94.

According to the official, their personnel were deployed in different kinds of duties in Delhi.

“Currently, 105 COVID19 patients from different paramilitary forces are being treated in CAPF referral hospital in Greater Noida and they are stable,” the official said.

Three more cases were reported from CRPF, taking the tally to 165 cases and 158 in Delhi. “One personnel in Delhi tested positive. He was in contact with a bus driver of the paramilitary who had earlier tested positive. Two other personnel were from Noida,” the official said.

Two of their personnel have recovered from the virus. Last week, a 55-year-old subinspector with the force died at Safdarjung Hospital due to COVID-19. The entire battalion in Mayur Vihar was sent for quarantine and the camp was sealed.

The headquarters of the CRPF in Delhi was sealed for sanitisation after a driver working at the building tested positive for Coronavirus. On Wednesday, the force headquarters was de-sealed and is “functional”.

Meanwhile, one more SSB personnel was tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, taking the tally to 18.

According to the official, he was deployed for law and order duty in Delhi.