25 test Covid +ve at R&R hospital ward

NEWDELHI: The Delhi-based Army Hospital (Research and Referral) has reported 25 Covid-19 cases, including some serving personnel, two army officials said, asking not to be identified.

All 25 are from the oncology ward, one of the officials said.

The people who have tested positive include serving personnel, ex-servicemen and a few of their dependents. No health care professional has tested positive for Covid-19 yet, the second officer said adding that necessary protocol is being followed including contact tracing of the infected people.

“After someone tests positive, detailed contact tracing is carried out. The contacts are then placed in high- or low-risk groups. Quarantine protocol and testing of those in the high-risk group is carried out. All this can take 48 hours,” the second officer added.

The positive cases have been moved to the army’s Base Hospital in Delhi Cantt, which is dedicated to Covid-19 patients, said the second official. The people who have tested positive for the coronavirus are serving and retired personnel and a few of their dependents.

No health care worker has tested positive for Covid-19 yet, the second official said, adding that necessary protocol is being followed including contact tracing of the infected people.

The navy accounts for the single largest case of Indian military personnel being infected with the novel coronavirus, with 26 sailors from a key naval base testing positive for Covid-19 last month. The sailors were from INS Angre --- a logistics and administrative support base under the Western Naval Command.

All the cases were traced to a single sailor who tested positive for the disease.