19 Covid cases reported in CAPF, Centre asks for strict protocol

New Delhi, Dec 29 The 19 coronavirus cases reported in the last 24 hours in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have triggered an alarm bell among the security forces and the Union Home Ministry has directed them to strictly follow the Covid protocol.

Sources in the forces said that amid the rising number of the Covid new variant Omicron, all CAPFs have been asked to maintain social distancing, wear masks compulsorily and random testing of the troopers in all units and field formations.

The forces have also been instructed to get ready with isolation centers and health facilities to deal with the impending situation if it arises.

According to the latest data issued on December 28, Border Security Force (BSF) has reported nine cases in last 24 hours, followed by five in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), three in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and two in the Sashatra Seema Bal(SSB). No new cases have been reported in the Indo- Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force(NDRF) and the National Security Guard (NSG).

The data also said that 148 active Covid-19 cases have been reported in the CAPFs as of now wherein the BSF has 46 active cases followed by 44 cases in CISF, 42 in CRPF, eight in SSB, five in ITBP, one in NDRF and two in NSG.

A total of 88,642 security men in CAPFs have been infected since the advent of the pandemic whereas 88,146 personnel have recovered so far. The death toll has gone to 348 since April 2020.

Amid the rising number of new variant Omicron, the forces need to take extra precautions while discharging their duties, the officials said, adding that no Omicron case has been reported in the CAPFs so far.

On Wednesday, a major jump was recorded in the daily number of Covid cases at 9,195 and the Omicron cases climbed to 781. The national capital has the highest cases of the variant at 238, followed by Maharashtra at 167 cases so far.