BSF Driver Who Escorted IMCT Members in West Bengal Tests COVID-19 Positive: Report
The driver was in charge of taking the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) to the COVID-19 hospitals based in hotspots across West Bengal. According to the BSF official who spoke to reporters, the IMCT members did not came in contact with the driver as it was an escort vehicle and the sitting area between the driver and doctors was completely demarcated.
Kolkata, May 4: A driver of the Border Security Force (BSF), who escorted the central team monitoring the coronavirus situation in West Bengal, was detected with the highly contagious disease, reports said on Monday. The personnel was removed from his duty on April 30, after he was found with symptoms related to COVID-19. His samples later tested positive, confirmed an official. Border Security Force Staff Member in Delhi Tests Positive for COVID-19, Two Floors of BSF Headquarters at CGO Complex Sealed.
The driver was in charge of taking the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) to the COVID-19 hospitals based in hotspots across West Bengal. According to the BSF official who spoke to reporters, the IMCT members did not came in contact with the driver as it was an escort vehicle and the sitting area between the driver and doctors was completely demarcated.
"The BSF driver who tested positive for COVID19 was in a escort vehicle hence his chances of coming into contact with IMCT team are nil," the BSF sources were reported as saying by news agency ANI.
The driver was placed under quarantine since April 30, and the BSF jawans who came in contact with him have also been traced and kept in isolation. The health department officials are expected to further trace the primary and secondary contacts to ensure that the virus is not transmitted.
"BSF driver who drove escort car for Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) convoy in Kolkata has tested COVID-19 positive. The driver was immediately removed 30th April and quarantined. 50 jawans who came in contact with him have been quarantined," the BSF sources added.
Update by ANI
The IMCT, which was inspecting the COVID-19 situation in Bengal over the past two weeks, will submit its report to the Centre later today. The team officials, while speaking to the media, suggested that there was prima facie discrepancies in the numbers disclosed by the government and the actual number of coronavirus cases. They also raised concern over the 12.8 percent mortality rate, which is highest among all other Indian states.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 04, 2020 05:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).