20 soldiers at army hospital test positive for coronavirus .... more than 248 paramilitary forces infected This is the second major outbreak among India’s 15-lakh-strong armed forces after 26 sailors in Mumbai tested positive last month

Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, TT, 6.05.20,  New Delhi: As many as 20 soldiers are among the 24 people who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus at the oncology department of the army’s premier Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi, sources in the army headquarters said on Tuesday.

This is the second major Covid-19 outbreak among India’s 15-lakh-strong armed forces after 26 sailors at a shore-based Western Naval depot in Mumbai tested positive last month.

Eighty serving personnel from the tri-services of the armed forces, along with 20 veterans and family members of soldiers are currently admitted as Covid patients in different military hospitals across the country.

“All the (24) positive cases are from the oncology department of the (Research and Referral Hospital) and none of them are hospital staff. It is suspected that a patient who had been admitted for follow-up treatment and had been asymptomatic on arrival infected the others,” an official said.

Other than 20 serving soldiers, a veteran and three dependents of military personnel have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

“All the infected persons have been moved to the army’s base hospital at Delhi cantonment, which is a dedicated facility for coronavirus patients,” the official said.

Last month, 14 personnel, including two army doctors, had tested positive for the virus.

The navy on Tuesday quarantined 160 officers and sailors at its logistics base in Calcutta — the INS Netaji Subhash — after two sailors developed symptoms of Covid-19. “Their test results are awaited,” a navy official said. 

(KalimNews:  140 CRPF, 67 BSF, 21 ITBP, 13 SSB, 7 CISF tested positive

137 CRPF personnel tested positive at the force’s Mayur Vihar camp.

67 BSF troops have been detected with the virus till now, including 41 personnel in Delhi, 24 in Tripura and one in Kolkata. Personnel who have tested positive so far, 32 are suspected to have gotten the infection while discharging law and order duties with Delhi Police in Jama Masjid and Chandni Mahal areas.

SSB on Monday said that 13 Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel belonging to 25 Battalion, deputed in Ghitorni camp in Delhi tested  positive for Coronavirus.

7 CISF personnel have been tested positive in Delhi and Noida.

21 ITBP personnel have tested positive in Delhi, 19 in Tigri camp in South Delhi, 2 from Battalion 50.)