New Delhi, Sep 20 (IANS): A total of 32,238 Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel tested positive for Covid-19 so far, the Parliament was informed on Sunday.

Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai told the Lok Sabha, in a written reply, that the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had the highest number of cases -- 9,158 -- among the seven CAPFs.

The Border Security Force (BSF) followed with 8,934 cases, while the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) had 5,544, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) 3,380, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) 3,251, the Assam Rifles 1,746 and the National Security Guard (NSG) 225.

The CRPF also had the highest recovery rate (84.4 per cent), followed by the BSF (80.41 per cent), and the CISF (75.25 per cent), while the highest death rate was reported in the CISF (0.43 per cent), followed by the Assam Rifles (0.40 per cent) and CRPF (0.39 per cent).

Rai also said that Covid-19 hospitals, Covid Care Centres and Dedicated COVID Health Centres (DCHC) were set up for treatment of the infected personnel and to support their recovery.

Besides the normal benefits being availed to the CAPF personnel, it was also decided to provide Rs 15 lakh to next of kin through 'Bharat Ke Veer' funds if a trooper dies due to Covid on duty, as well as an immediate grant for funeral expenses and support for expeditious processing of family pension and other dues, he added.