Agartala: Thirteen more Border Security Force (BSF) troopers including their two children on Monday tested positive for COVID-19 in Tripura taking the total active cases among the paramilitary personnel and their family in the state to 27, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said late Monday night.
Deb, who also holds the health and home portfolios, said in a tweet: “More 13 persons including two kids of 138th Battalion BSF at Ambassa (in northern Tripura’s Dhalai District) found COVID-19 positive. Total COVID-19 positive cases in Tripura stands at 29 (2 already discharged, so active cases : 27). Don’t panic, follow the Govt guidelines and stay at home.”
Education and Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath earlier said that Union Health Ministry on Monday has declared Tripura’s Dhalai district headquarters Ambassa as “red zone” after many BSF troopers tested positive for COVID-19. He said that on Saturday and Sunday, 14 BSF jawans belonging to138 battalion were tested positive for novel coronavirus and they are now undergoing treatment at the Govind Ballabh Pant Medical College and Hospital in Agartala, which is a dedicated COVID-19 hospital.
Six of the eight districts of Tripura before Saturday categorised as green zones while the remaining two districts are classified as orange zones. Dhalai District Magistrate Brahmneet Kaur has also declared three containment zones, including the BSF battalion headquarters, in the district.
“Around 331 people comprising 90 doctors and health workers and 241 BSF jawans were identified for directly or indirectly coming in close contacts with these 12 infected BSF troopers. Of the 331 identified people, swab samples of 179 people are being tested,” Nath told the media.
“Despite the BSF battalion headquarters situated in a locality and on a vital National Highway, the disease is yet to spread in the community,” the minister said.
A total of 29 COVID-19 positive cases so far have been found in Tripura and currently active cases are 27 as two people including a woman had discharged from the hospital after their recovery from the dreaded disease.
A week after the state was declared novel coronavirus free, two BSF jawans including a head constable tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday in the 138 battalion BSF.
With the spike of COVID-19 positive case among BSF jawans, panic and anxiety has gripped the locals as the jawans mingled with a large section of people in their daily discourse leading to the possibility of community transmission in Dhalai.
As per the report of the medics treating the jawans, the troopers, prior to their testing, had visited the market areas. They conducted transactions in ATM booths, did shopping in the markets and visited different places. In this course they came into contact with hundreds of hundred civilians.
Further, the medics in the district hospital also treated other patients after treating the first two infected jawans. Hence the numbers of infected feared to be increase in leaps and bounds.
Also the source of infection is yet to be traced.
According to experts, the COVID-19 infection probably entered the state through the porous international border.With the recovery of Tripura’s second patient, a 32-year-old Tripura State Rifles jawan and a resident of Uttar Pradesh, on April 25, the Tripura government had declared the Northeastern state as novel coronavirus free. (Agencies)
