26 Indian Navy personnel test positive for COVID-19 in Mumbai

NEW DELHI (Web Desk): At least 26 Indian Navy personnel have tested positive for the novel coronavirus at a naval base in Mumbai, Indian Navy official reported on Saturday.

In a statement, the Indian Navy said that all the personnel have been quarantined at a naval hospital in Mumbai and a search operation has been launched to trace the people who came in contact with the infected sailors.

“26 serving personnel tested positive for COVID-19 within naval premises at Mumbai. This number includes 20 sailors of INS Angre, a shore establishment at Mumbai. Most of these are asymptomatic and have been traced to a single sailor who was tested positive on 7th April,” the Indian Navy said in a statement.

“All primary contacts (though asymptomatic) were tested for COVID19. The entire inliving block was immediately put under quarantine, containment zone and INS Angre under lockdown. Action being taken as per established protocol. No cases of infection onboard ships and submarines,” it added.

The INS Angre controls and oversees the functioning of a wide array of diverse units and facilities. It is also known as ‘Naval Barracks’ and is currently based in Mumbai.

This is the first time when the Indian Navy has reported cases of the dreadful infection that has affected over 13,800 people and claimed the lives more than 450 in the country so far.

Last week, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh, in a video message, told his personnel that vital operational assets such as ships and submarines must remain free from the virus.

“The coronavirus pandemic is unprecedented and it has never been seen before. Its impact has been extraordinary across the globe, including India,” he said.

The danger posed by this disease is real, imminent and unprecedented, he noted.

Earlier, the Indian Army had reported eight positive cases of the deadly coronavirus. Giving the details, Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane had said that of the eight, two were doctors while one nursing assistant and four were responding well to the treatment.”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 had said.

The novel coronavirus has surged at an alarming rate in the country. Maharashtra has been the worst affected state in the country with 3,205 confirmed cases and 194 deaths.

Amid the surging number of coronavirus cases, the government has said that the dreadful infection is doubling in 6.2 days while it was three days before the lockdown.