BSF personnel tests positive for COVID-19 in Tripura; total cases in state rise to 156

Agartala: One more Border Security Force (BSF) personnel has tested positive for novel coronavirus in Tripura's Dhalai district, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 156, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has said.

The latest patient is also from the BSF's 86th battalion, which along with the 138th battalion, accounted for most of the cases reported in the state this month.

Deb tweeted on Wednesday night: "652 civilians & BSF officials have undergone COVID19 test, among them 1 BSF official of 86th Battalion, Ambassa found COVID-19 POSITIVE.

"We are conducting the maximum number of COVID19 tests to ensure better safety of every people of this State."

Earlier, 151 BSF personnel and their family members from the two battalions based in Ambassa in Dhalai district had tested positive for COVID-19.

The district has since been declared a red zone and six deployment areas of the BSF have been designated as containment zones, they said.

Meanwhile, 16 BSF personnel, including two who have completely recovered from COVID-19 and the remaining who were found to be asymptomatic, have been released from the state-run G B Pant Hospital and placed under observation in a quarantine facility, senior minister Ratan Lal Nath said.

Altogether 2,771 people are presently quarantined in the state, of which 221 are in facilities and the rest under home isolation, Nath, also the Cabinet spokesperson said.

The first two COVID-19 patients in the state have recovered and two other patients who have left Tripura have been designated as 'transferred out', leaving 152 active cases in the state.