CRPF Battalion In Delhi Becomes New Coronavirus Worry, 122 Cases In Two Weeks

122 jawans at a CRPF battalion in Delhi have tested positive for coronavirus in two weeks, officials said, adding that test results of 100 others are yet to come. The Union Home Ministry has taken note of the matter and has asked the CRPF chief to explain the circumstances due to which the spread of the infection could not be contained, sources in the ministry said.

The men belong to the 31st battalion of the paramilitary force, based in east Delhi's Mayur Vihar Phase-3. The battalion, which has been completely sealed, has seen a massive spike in the number of cases in the last couple of days. A 55-year-old jawan from Assam stationed in the battalion had died earlier this week at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital.

Twelve personnel in the battalion tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday. A couple of days ago, 45 jawans stationed in the unit had contracted the virus.

The jawans who tested positive are being treated at a facility in the capital's Mandawali.

The jawans are believed to have contracted the virus from a nursing assistant from the paramedic unit of the CRPF who had tested positive earlier this month. The jawan, who joined the battalion, tested positive on April 21. He has been admitted to Delhi's Rajiv Gandhi Hospital.

On April 24, nine CRPF personnel from the battalion tested positive and the next day, 15 people were found to be positive.

The large number of cases coming from a single battalion, which has over 1,000 jawans, has become a matter of concern for the Home Ministry, sources in the Home Ministry said. At the centre of the controversy are two directives sent by the Deputy Director Medical. An order on April 1 said a five-day quarantine is needed, while the government's order has been for a mandatory quarantine of 14 days for personnel joining back the unit from leave or having suspected exposure to a coronavirus-infected person, sources said. A second directive was sent by the medical wing of the paramilitary force on April 17, with the quarantine period changed back to 14 days, sources added.

The CRPF has said that all companies should ensure placing sanitiser machines in each and every duty vehicle so that jawans can sanitise themselves while on duty, apart from demanding more vehicles from the concerned authorities in Delhi.

This morning, India recorded the biggest single-day jump of 2,293 coronavirus cases, taking the total to 37,336. At least 1,218 people have died due to the virus. Delhi is among the worst-hit states with 3,738 cases and 61 COVID-19-linked deaths.