New Delhi: In what can be another cause of concern for India's paramilitary forces, as many as 56 Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel more have tested coronavirus positive in the last 24 hours alone. All the 56 cases are in the national capital, which itself is a red zone.
Every day, fresh cases of Covid-19 pour in from paramilitary force. An official said by Saturday night itself, 100 ITBP personnel had tested positive for Covid-19. On Friday, 12 personnel of the force tested positive while on Thursday, 37 tested positive.
The official said a total of 127 ITBP personnel have been admitted to the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) Referral Hospital in Greater Noida while 26 are at the AIIMS in Haryana's Jhajjar and two at Safdarjung hospital in Delhi. One personnel is being treated at Base Hospital in Tigri.
The CAPF Hospital has emerged as a hub for treating coronavirus affected personnel from not just the ITBP but different paramilitary forces. Besides 127 ITBP personnel, it houses 27 BSF troopers, four CRPF and one CISF and NSG personnel each. The facility is also treating one civilian and four family members of ITBP personnel.
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In a cause for serious concern, the paramilitary forces have been witnessing a spike in the growth rate of confirmed COVID-19 cases over the past few days.
On May 3, Ministry of Home Affairs had written a letter to all states and UTs regarding guidelines and protocols on prevention of COVID-19 for Police/Security Personnel (CAPFs) managing the public and asked chiefs of CAPFs and DGsP to consider the option of work from home for personnel not deployed on the frontline and where feasible.
(With inputs from IANS)
