Andaman to conduct COVID19 test on select group of incoming Passengers

Vikramaditya

Port Blair, May 29: Following huge resentment among people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands for not making quarantine mandatory for incoming passengers from Mainland India at Port Blair, the Health Department of A & N Islands has now decided to conduct COVID19 test on select group of incoming passengers at Port Blair.

“We will conduct COVID19 test on selected group of incoming passengers, which includes, Old people (60+), Children (below 10), Patients, Operated Patients, People with Co-morbidity and symptomatic passengers,” Dr. Avijit Roy, the Nodal Officer of COVID19 in Andaman told Andaman Sheekha today.

He said that today altogether 48 samples have been sent to ICMR, Port Blair for COVID19 test. As on date there are 709 asymptomatic passengers are under Self-Monitoring for 14 days and six symptomatic persons are isolated in health facility as on date.

Meanwhile, COVID19 test results of two symptomatic passengers, who reached Shaheed Dweep few days back has now come negative.

“We do not have any COVID19 positive case anywhere in Andaman ad Nicobar Islands as on date,” Dr. Roy added.

The Congress Party, BJP Party and also the former Member of Parliament of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray have already demanded for mandatory quarantine for all incoming passengers in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Meanwhile, local newspapers and social media platforms are still abuzz with serious concerns on the issue of no mandatory quarantine for incoming passengers, as till now Andaman and Nicobar Islands had witnessed only 33 COVID19 cases in two different waves but since May 7,2020 Andaman is totally free from COVID19 cases.