Coronavirus hits Indian Navy shore establishment

A total of 26 Indian Navy sailors at INS Angre, a shore establishment in Mumbai, have tested positive for COVID-19.

There had so far not been a single case of COVID-19 on board any ship, submarine or air station of the Indian Navy.

All the positive patients are from INS Angre, a key establishment of the Western Naval Command, the sword arm of the Indian Navy.

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Most of these are "asymptomatic" and have been traced to a single sailor who was tested positive on April 7.

They all reside in the same accommodation block at INS Angre.

All primary contacts - though " asymptomatic" were tested for COVID-19. Entire 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.

All these sailors continue to remain asymptomatic and are being monitored at INHS Asvini, the Navy's command hospital in Mumbai.

"Our naval assets continue to be mission-deployed in three dimensions, with all the networks and space assets functioning optimally. The Navy remains combat-ready, mission-capable and is in full readiness to partake in the national mission to fight the pandemic as well as to provide support to our friendly neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region," the spokesperson added.

"Indian Navy assets continue to remain on patrol covering a vast oceanic swath from the Straits of Malacca in the East to Bab-el-Mandeb in the West, including undertaking Op Sankalp to provide reassurance and protection to our merchant vessels and anti-piracy patrols in Gulf of Aden," he added.

The detection of these COVID-19 cases is a result of meticulous contact tracing and aggressive screening/testing carried out by Western Naval Command after one sailor tested positive on April 7.

As far as the precautions in Mumbai are s concerned, since the sailor was tested positive for COVID-19, the entire premises of the Unit have been sealed off. Containment zones and buffer areas have been designated and frequent disinfection continues to be carried out as per protocol to contain spread by breaking the chain of transmission.

"All missions for coastal and offshore security continue as before," the spokesperson said.

Operational units are being maintained in readiness by following a 14-day quarantine routine to meet immediate contingencies, including assistance to civil authorities and friendly maritime neighbours.

Several quarantine facilities have been set up in naval premises at Mumbai, Goa, Kochi and Visakhapatnam for use by our countrymen.

Last week, a batch of 44 ex-Iran pilgrims from the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir who were quarantined at the naval facility in Mumbai, returned to their homes fully satisfied at the care and comfort they received from the Indian Navy.