NEW DELHI: The number of active coronavirus cases in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) rose to 381 with as many as 91 security personnel testing positive for the infection on Wednesday. The Border Security Force (BSF) reported 85 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in force in a statement on Wednesdayin a statement on Wednesday152.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which has the highest number of coronavirus infected personnel among CAPFs, saw three more cases, making the total count of infected people in the force to 158.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) recorded six new cases, bringing the total number of cases in the force to 22. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bala (SSB) too are affected by the virus with 45 and four cases respectively.
All affected ITBP and SSB personnel were posted in Delhi. In CRPF, 155 of the total 158 cases are from Delhi and in BSF, over 100 cases are from the national capital while the rest are mainly from Tripura and Kolkata.
The headquarters of BSF in Delhi, which was partially closed on Monday after a staff member was found positive for the virus on Sunday night, was reopened on Wednesday after sanitisation, officials said.
The rising number of COVID-19 cases in the CAPFs has become a serious concern for the security grid. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs had recently issued guidelines to prevent the spread of infection among security personnel, who are deployed in various parts of the country for internal and border security duties.
“While performing operational and essential duties, 85 more BSF personnel have been infected with Covid-19. It is reiterated that in each establishment of BSF, all SOPs are strictly followed. Instructions of the Health Ministry are enforced and religiously followed to check the spread of pandemic,” BSF said in a statement.