Image Source: The Economic Times
New Delhi: As many as 122 personnel in a Delhi-based battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force has tested positive for COVID-19 so far.
All the men, belonging to the 31st battalion of the paramilitary, are based in the Mayur Vihar Phase-III area of New Delhi. The area has been sealed after there was a surge in the number of COVID-19 infections over the past few days.
According to a report by News18, while 122 of the CRPF personnel have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the results of more than 100 are awaited.
A senior official told News18 that most of the troopers are asymptomatic and that all have been admitted to an isolation facility set up by the Delhi government in Mandoli.
Earlier this week, a 55-yea-old sub-inspector of this very same unit succumbed to COVID-19.
Since many personnel from one single battalion have tested positive for the disease, this has caused some alarm as two separate orders were issued to check the spread of the disease.
While one order directed all those returning from leave or having suspected exposure to a COVID-19 infected person to undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days, another order issued in April stated that doctors and paramedics can be taken off the quarantine if they do not show any symptoms of the disease after five days.
According to the report, it is suspected that the primary source of the infection in the unit is likely a constable (nursing assistant) who returned from leave. It is, however, unclear how he contracted the illness.
An investigation to find the source of the infection, as well as how it spread, is underway.
