Agartala: 13 more Border Security Force (BSF) jawans tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, taking the total number of active cases to 40 in Tripura, the state government said.
All the active patients are either BSF jawans or their children.
Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb wrote in his official Twitter handle, “Alert! 13 persons from 138th-Bn #BSF Ambassa found #COVID19 POSITIVE today including 1 Mess worker. Total #COVID19 positive cases in Tripura stands at 42 (2 already discharged, so active cases : 40) There is no POSITIVE case among civilians. Don’t Panic! #TripuraCOVID19Count”.
He also wrote on his Facebook page that the state government is doing maximum number of COVID-19 tests to ensure further safety of everyone.
“We are conducting maximum number #COVID19 tests to ensure further safety of everyone. Our Govt is keeping close vigil on the current situations. Specialised Doctors are taking care of the Positive patients. I urge everyone not to Panic and Co-operate with Government. Don’t believe in rumours, Govt will take strict action if anyone found spreading any misinformation,” Deb wrote.
The fresh coronavirus cases were confirmed on the fourth consecutive day from a single location — 138th Battalion of BSF at Ambassa in Dhalai district, 90 km from here — where a Head Constable and a Constable were first found to be affected by the virus on May 2.
Twelve more jawans were tested positive with the virus on the next day and 13 other tested positive on Monday.
State nodal officer for COVID-19 Dr Deep Kumar Debbarma told reporters that the BSF battalion headquarters is being converted into a COVID-19 care centre and everyone is being tested.
Probe to trace source
Even as the BSF is conducting a probe to trace the source of novel coronavirus infection among 24 personnel and three family members of a jawan in Tripura, authorities identified 331 persons who came in contact with infected persons, official sources said on Tuesday.
The swab samples of 179 of the identified contacts have been sent for testing.
“We are conducting an inquiry to know about the primary and secondary sources of infection in these BSF jawans and their family members,” the top BSF officer of Tripura frontier told IANS on the condition of anonymity.
He said that the BSF authorities in cooperation with the Tripura government have taken all precautionary and other steps at the 138 Battalion headquarters at Ambassa.
A woman and a Tripura State Rifles (TSR) jawan were cured and discharged from hospitals. (Agencies)
