A total of 25 Indian Navy personnel have tested positive for Covid-19, ringing the alarm bells for the military at a time when the US Navy is grappling with a surge in coronavirus cases on some of its frontline warships.
The navy men have been admitted in naval hospital INHS Asvini in Mumbai’s Colaba after testing positive for the novel coronavirus, informed two navy officials on the condition of anonymity.
Most of these cases are asymptomatic and have been traced to a single sailor who was tested positive on April 7, 2020. They all reside in the same accommodation block at INS Angre.
All primary contacts (though asymptomatic) were tested for Covid-19. The entire in-living block was immediately put under quarantine - containment zone - and INS Angre too is under lockdown.
All actions as per established Covid-19 protocol are being taken. There are no cases of infection onboard ships and submarines.
While this is the first reported case of Covid-19 in the Indian Navy, the Army has so far reported eight positive virus cases.
“We have only eight positive cases in the entire Indian Army. Of the eight, two are doctors and one nursing assistant. Four are responding well to the treatment,” Army Chief General M.M Naravane said on Friday.
The Army personnel who have not come in contact with any Covid-19 positive person are being moved back to units.
“Our personnel who have not come in contact with any infected person are being moved back to units. We have already catered for two special trains -- from Bengaluru to Jammu and the other from Bengaluru to Guwahati,” he added.
As the US Navy is struggling with increasing Covid-19 cases, Indian Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh had stressed that it is vital to ensure that operational assets such as warships and submarines remain free of the virus and the navy is combat ready at all times.
In a 15-minute-long video message to naval personnel on April 9, the Indian Navy chief had told his men that while they should hope for the best, the navy should plan for the worst.
“We need to be ready for the worst-case scenario and to my mind, it will be a long battle,” the navy chief had said.
The armed forces have taken a raft of preventive measures to stop the spread of coronavirus within their ranks.
These include cancellation of all non-essential training, conferences and travel; a freeze on postings and foreign assignments; avoiding any assembly that involves more than 50 personnel; postponing of all courses for officers; and encouraging personnel to work from home wherever possible.
