Agartala/Guwahati, May 6 (IANS): A total of 13 more Border Security Force (BSF) troopers on Tuesday tested positive for Covid-19 in Tripura, taking the active cases among the paramilitary personnel and their family members in the state to 40, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said on Tuesday night.
In Guwahati, Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a tweet, said that two persons from Goalpara and Kokrajhar districts in western Assam tested positive for on Tuesday. Currently, Assam has 11 active cases while 32 were discharged after their recovery while one person died last month in southern Assam.
Tripura Chief Minister Deb, who also holds the health and home portfolios, said in a late night tweet: "More 13 BSF personnel of 138th Battalion BSF at Ambassa (in northern Tripura's Dhalai District) found COVID-19 positive. Total COVID-19 positive cases in Tripura (so far) stands at 42 (two already discharged, so active cases: 40). Don't panic, follow the Govt guidelines and stay at home."
According to Tripura's health officials, 40 people - personnel of the 138 Battalion, as well as the wife of a trooper, their two children and a mess worker, had tested corona positive since Saturday.
Education and Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath said: "As many as 331 people, comprising 90 doctors and health workers and 241 BSF jawans, were identified for directly or indirectly coming in contact with infected BSF troopers. Of the 331 identified people, swab samples of 179 people are being tested."
Despite the BSF battalion headquarters situated in a locality on a vital National Highway, the disease is yet to spread in the community, the Minister said.
Nath said that the Health Ministry on Monday had declared Tripura's Dhalai district headquarters Ambassa as "Red Zone" after many BSF troopers tested positive.
He said that almost all the infected persons are now undergoing treatment at the Govind Ballabh Pant Medical College and Hospital in Agartala, a dedicated Covid-19 hospital.
.Dhalai District Magistrate Brahmneet Kaur has declared three containment zones -- the BSF battalion headquarters, their administrative base camp at Gandachara and Karina Border Outpost (BoP).
A week after a woman and a Tripura State Rifles (TSR) jawan were cured and discharged from hospitals and the state was declared coronavirus free on April 25, two BSF jawans -- including a head constable -- tested positive on Saturday at the 138 Battalion.
According to BSF officials, the head constable belonged to Assam and beenhad suffering from some ailments after he returned to Tripura from his hometown in Sivasagar district on March 11.