4 active among a total of 15 corona positive cases in A&N Islands, about 300 quarantined after 12th case

TMI Correspondent

   Port Blair, April 19: After the news of all 11 earlier cases recovering in the islands came as a blessing in disguise on 16 April, the 12th case detected on 17 April comes as a bigger worry to the islanders.

   The 12th man who got affected is serving in the Police Radio and continued to be on duty till the 9th of April 2020. Sources inform that the victim, a resident of Bambooflat who serves as an Assistant Sub Inspector in the Police Radio had signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and had visited CHC Bambooflat with the complaints on 13th April 2020. He was treated as a general patient and medicines were given with an instruction that he should remain home.

    As per reliable sources, the victim isn’t sure from where he might have contracted the Corona Virus because he is not linked with the earlier 10 positive cases. Sources also confirm that his elder brother and his wife, also residents of Bambooflat had arrived Port Blair on the 21st of March 2020 from Chennai but they were never put on home quarantine. Few days after their arrival, they had some vague symptoms and had visited Bambooflat CHC for check-up, but the same treatment was given to them as with the case of the victim. The symptoms were also noticed among other family members.

   Meanwhile, the victim being a government official involved in essential services continued his duty at Police Radio Office at Marine Hill, travelling all the way from Bambooflat till he started feeling ill. In the meanwhile, he had met several relatives of his at Phoenix Bay, Calicut and other places.

   The door to door surveillance by the health authorities being carried out in the islands hasn’t yielded much since it is clear that it was only after the victim visited CHC Bambooflat that the doubt had risen. After the case was confirmed many of the victim's relatives from different places have been picked up and shifted to institutional quarantine same day.

   In the A&N Islands among a total of 15 confirmed corona positive cases, 11 recovered / discharged. After 12^th case, 3 family members of 12^th case are found corona positive till today. However, approximately 300 were quarantined who are in contact with 12^th case (about 150 from his office and 150 among relatives). Administration is now tracing for further contacts that came into contact with case number 12.