The total number of COVID-19 cases in Tripura rose to 165 on Saturday with the detection of 11 more infections, with seven of the new cases from 86th battalion of the BSF. The 86th and the 138th battalions are the worst hit by COVID-19.
A driver and his assistant working at ONGC, and two others, including a young woman, tested positive. Transport workers were found infected at the check post in Churaibari area after they entered from Assam.
Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who is also the State Health Minister, announced the fresh cases. He said two infected local residents had returned from Guwahati a few days ago and hinted of their contracting the infection outside the state.
Tripura now has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in northeast India, followed by Assam and Meghalaya. The rest of the states in the region have now zero infections, while Sikkim never had one.
The State’s health officials said that the spurt of contagion will reduce once the screening of all BSF personnel is completed. The campuses of BSF’s 86th and 138th battalions, both located at Ambassa in Dhalai district, have emerged as COVID-19 hotspots with infections being detected there frequently.
Of the 165 positive cases in Tripura, 159 are of BSF personnel and their family members. However, active cases are reducing, with the discharge of more patients.
“41 BSF men recovered and discharged from the hospital in past three days. Some more are likely to be released tomorrow,” a senior health official said.
He said after the recovery of a sizeable number of patients and with the detection of 11 more cases on Saturday, the number of active cases in the State now stands at 116.
