COVID-19: CAPFs witness spike in infections; CRPF Delhi headquarter sealed

The central paramilitary forces, involved in internal security duties, recorded a spike in coronavirus cases with 45 personnel testing positive on Sunday, even as the CRPF headquarters here was sealed after two staffers contracted the disease.

The five-storey building is located inside the Central Government Offices (CGO) complex on Lodhi Road and houses the central control room and the office of the CRPF Director General (DG) among other operational and administrative wings to keep the over 3.25 lakh-personnel force moving.

A personal secretary of a Special Director General (SDG)-rank officer working in the headquarters tested positive for the virus on Saturday, officials said.

Also, a bus driver who ferried personnel working at the headquarters, contracted the disease, they added.

"One driver attached with CRPF headquarters has tested COVID-19 positive. The headquarters is closed for sanitisation till the task is completed," said a spokesperson for the CRPF, the country's largest paramilitary force.

An order issued by the force said as "one coronavirus positive (case) has been detected in the directorate (headquarters), all officers and men working in the directorate general are requested not to come to office and work from home till then."