Sixteen policemen from different stations have tested positive for coronavirus in Tripura over the past three days. They included a constable posted at the police headquarters here.
The infection has gripped police circles after a spate of cases were reported from BSF battalions. Around 200 BSF troopers and their family members have been infected at various security facilities in the State since May.
Health officials on Thursday said officers and subordinates of Melaghar, Bisramganj and Khowai police stations were sent to home quarantine after COVID-19 cases were detected in these stations. A few personnel of the police headquarters were also quarantined after a policeman was found infected.
The infected policemen have been lodged in COVID Care Centres. The headquarters and police stations have been sanitised.
There has been a surge in infections in Tripura since the beginning of this month and the case load rose to 2,282 on Wednesday night. Three patients have so far died and one committed suicide by hanging at a hospital.
The current recovery rate is 73.82% in the State, according to senior Minister Ratan Lal Nath.
Tough measures
The Tripura government has enforced stringent measures to prevent the spread of the virus. About 59 containment zones have been declared and the period of night curfew has been extended.
A week-long complete lockdown will be enforced in border areas from 7 a.m. on Friday. One kilometre from border in rural areas and a half a kilometre from the border in municipal localities have been demarcated.
Tripura shares 856 km boundary with Bangladesh on its three sides and the lockdown will affect a large number of residents.
The government has directed district administrations to provide food and relief to poor and destitute people in areas to be under lockdown.
