Top brass of the central paramilitary forces have decided to reduce attendance in offices to 50 per cent in the wake of a surge in Covid-19 cases in the forces over the past few days, sources in the Union home ministry said.

“The Central Reserve Police Force, the country’s largest paramilitary force, has already advised its formations that the attendance should be reduced to 50 per cent in offices. Others have also followed suit,” a home ministry official said.

The number of Covid cases has increased from 148 on December 28 to 1,668 cases till Friday. The CRPF tops the list with 480 active cases.

The force has directed all its formations to reactivate all Covid care and health centres in the wake of the surge in cases.