5 more cases as COVID-19 positive; total 6 positive cases in A&N Islands; One hotel of 42 rooms designated as COVID-19 hospital in Port Blair

Port Blair, Mar 27

    The designated laboratory for COVID-19 in A&N Islands, RMRC-ICMR, Dollygunj has confirmed 05 (Five) more cases as positive for Novel Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) in Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The persons who are tested positive are also part of the same group which came from Vistara flight from Delhi and Indigo flight from Chennai on 24.03.2020. The Administration has already started the process of contact tracing which interalia includes of co-passengers of the flights, the police officials and the medical team who screened them at airport and also the staff of ambulance which transported them to G B Pant Hospital isolation facility.

    Yesterday the Administration submitted 24 suspected cases for testing out of which 05 (Five) cases were reported as positive. Therefore, out of 60 suspected samples only 06 (Six) cases reported positive. It is pertinent to mention that these 06 (Six) cases did not intermingle with local people and transported directly from Airport to Quarantine / Isolation facility at G B Pant Hospital. The Health parameters of all the confirmed cases are normal and they are responding to all queries being asked by the contact tracing team constituted. It is pertinent to mention that Deputy Commissioner (SA) has constituted 75 teams for contact tracing from Rural Development Department, Panchayati Raj and Revenue Development who are covering 25 houses each assigned to them for contact tracing. Similar committees have been constituted in North & Middle Andaman and Car Nicobar Districts.

    The Administration has also made elaborate arrangements for isolation/ quarantine for persons who are suspicious of having infection of COVID-19. Isolation wards have been setup at GB Pant Hospital (48 Beds), INHS Dhanvantri (15 Beds) and PHC Chouldari (15 beds) for treatment. Isolation/ quarantine facilities have been created in Govt. Guest Houses and private hotels for asymptomatic suspicious cases. At present there are 280 rooms with attached bathroom for asymptomatic suspicious cases. One Hotel of 42 rooms is designated as COVID-19 hospital for symptomatic suspicious cases in Port Blair.