New Delhi, May 8 (IANS): With 30 new cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Border Security Force (BSF), the number of infected personnel rose to 223, highest among all the central armed police forces (CAPF). In all, as many as 508 paramilitary personnel have been infected by the COVID-19.

A BSF official said that while braving the challenges of securing frontiers, working with civil administration and shouldering other essential responsibilities, 30 new COVID-19 positive cases have been reported since Thursday in the force.

All these BSF personnel were engaged in essential duties in different establishments, said an official. He said, 24 positive cases were found in the BSF's 86th Battalion in Tripura's Dhalai while six cases were reported from Delhi.

Till Thursday, 193 BSF personnel, posted at different locations, were found COVID-19 positive while two have died.

He said, the six BSF personnel from Delhi has been shifted to AIIMS Jhajjar while 24 troopers in Tripura have been shifted to GB Pant Hospital in Agartala.

The BSF maintained that it had been strictly following standard operating protocols (SOPs) at its establishments to check the spread of pandemic.In all, as many as 508 paramilitary personnel have been infected by coronavirus, including 223 of the force.

The BSF is mandated to guard the 4,096 km Indo-Bangladesh and the 3,323 km India-Pakistan borders.