NSG medical staff contracts COVID-19; over 745 active cases in CAPFs

A medical staff of the elite counter-terrorism force NSG has contracted the coronavirus disease even as the five central paramilitary forces saw at least 93 new cases taking the total among them to over 745.

This is the first COVID-19 case in the commando force raised for special counter-terrorism and anti-hijack duties. Officials said the personnel was posted at the NSG hospital at its garrison in Gurgaon's Manesar and was quarantined immediately after he showed symptoms such as fever.

He has been admitted to the referral hospital of the Central Armed Police Forces in Greater Noida.

The NSG is a federal contingency force under the Union Home Ministry apart from the five CAPFs -- CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB.

As per the data available with PTI, these forces reported 93 cases on Sunday, taking their total to over 745 active cases.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police, that guards the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control with China, reported 56 new cases, all from a camp in Delhi. The mountain-warfare trained force now has 156 active cases.

The Border Security Force and the Central Industrial Security Force reported 18 fresh cases each over the last 24 hours.

While 16 cases in the BSF were reported from a unit in the border state of Tripura, the CISF saw 17 new cases from its contingent that guards the Mumbai international airport.

CRPF, the country's largest paramilitary force with 3.25 lakh personnel, reported one fresh case, taking the tally of its active COVID-19 cases to 233.

The Central Reserve Police Force has major cases coming from its two battalions based in Delhi.

The Sashastra Seema Bal, which has a strength of 80,000 personnel and mans the Nepal and Bhutan frontiers, reported no fresh case and has the least 18 active coronavirus cases.

These forces, with a combined strength of about 10 lakh troops, and the NSG are takers for various security duties including border guarding and combating terrorism.