Central forces report 100 new COVID-19 cases; total tally crosses 3,300

The number of COVID-19 cases in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and two other federal forces, NSG and NDRF have shot up to 3,300 with 100 fresh infections being reported on Friday (June 26), according to official data.

These forces have so far recorded 23 deaths due to the disease, according to the data.

The CAPFs include the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Border Security Force (BSF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

The highest tally of 1,000 cases have been reported in the CRPF, followed by 868 in the BSF, 733 in the CISF, 306 in the ITBP and 139 in the SSB, according to the data.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has 184 cases, while the SSB has 139.

Of the total 3,300 COVID-19 patients in the seven central forces, 1,999 personnel have been cured and 1,278 are undergoing treatment at various health facilities across the country, according to the data.

Hundred more fresh cases were reported in these forces on Friday, with the highest of 32 in the CISF, followed by 31 in the CRPF, 12 each in the BSF and the NDRF, and 10 in the ITBP, among others.

Test reports of over 590 troops are awaited, it said.

A senior CAPF officer said a number of fresh cases in these forces are of those personnel who have been placed under quarantine after they joined duty post the nationwide lockdown was announced.

The CRPF and the CISF have had the maximum seven fatalities due to COVID-19, followed by the BSF five and the ITBP and the SSB two each.

These central forces, with a combined strength of about 10 lakh personnel, render a variety of security duties, law and order management, border guarding, counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations, and disaster rescue and relief under the command of the Union home ministry.

(With inputs from agencies)