More than 10k Covid-19 cases in CRPF; recovery rate at 85%

There have been over 10,000 Covid-19 cases in the CRPF with an estimated recovery rate of 85 per cent, the chief of the country's largest paramilitary force, A P Maheshwari, said on Friday.

He said the force is undertaking various measures to ensure that its troops remain fit and have high immunity levels to combat diseases such as Covid-19.

"We have had over 10,000 coronavirus cases in our force, but most people have recovered. The recovery rate is about 80-85 per cent.

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"Conducting a running event like this during the times of Covid-19 is to underline the fact that we need to boost our immunity and enhance physical capability to combat diseases like the coronavirus while following medical protocols such as wearing face masks and ensuring physical distancing," the CRPF director general told reporters at the closing event of the 'Fit India Freedom Run' at Vijay Chowk in the national capital.

CRPF spokesperson Deputy Inspector General Moses Dhinakaran said the force personnel deployed across the country have collectively walked and run about 1.5 crore kms as part of the fitness initiative that was launched on August 15.

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Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officials, sportspersons including the first Arjuna award recipient of the country G S Randhawa, Olympian Sushil Kumar, weightlifter Kunjarani Devi and others took part in a run from Vijay Chowk to India Gate in central Delhi to mark the occasion.

The CRPF, with about 3.25 lakh personnel in its ranks, is the mainstay for anti-Naxal operations in the country and counter-terrorist operations in the Kashmir valley.

According to latest data, 58 personnel of the force have succumbed to the coronavirus.