7 BSF jawans among 11 new COVID-19 cases in Tripura, total at 167

Agartala, May 16 () Eleven people, including seven BSF jawans, tested positive for COVID-19 in Tripura on Saturday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 167, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said.

The number of active cases rose to 125, while 42 patients have recovered.

"625 samples have been tested for COVID-19 and among them 11 persons found COVID-19 positive. Seven people from 86-Bn BSF and 4 civilians from Churaibari Gate (2 drivers from other state, 2 people returned from Guwahati). All positive patients are under proper medical care," Deb tweeted.

With the fresh cases, a total of 159 BSF personnel based in Ambassa in Dhalai district have tested positive for coronavirus.

So far, 12,667 people have completed the 14-day observation period. There are 300 people in institutional quarantine and 2,935 in home quarantine, according to a statement issued by the government.

Senior minister Ratan Lal Nath said that 39,799 people from the state are stranded in different states of the country, which include 12,900 in Karnataka, 8,771 in Tamil Nadu, 1,132 in Telangana, 2,720 in Maharashtra and 5,503 in Assam.

The stranded people have started coming in by special trains, buses and trucks and they are being screened at the Churaibari check gate on Assam-Tripura border, he said. JOY SOM AARAAR