Andaman and Nicobar update: 26 new cases push Covid-19 tally of to 7,306

The COVID-19 caseload in

Andaman and Nicobar Islands rose to 7,306 as 26 more people tested positive for the disease in the Union Territory, a health department official said on Thursday.

All the new patients were detected during contact tracing, he said.

One more fatality due to the infection in the last 24 hours pushed the death toll to 127, the official said.

At least 30 more people were cured of the disease during the period, taking the total number of recoveries in the archipelago to 7,079.

The Union Territory now has 100 active cases.

South Andaman is the worst-affected district as it currently has 97 active cases. In view of detection of several COVID-19 cases in Little Andaman, several areas are brought under containment zones, the official said.

"Only essential activities will be allowed in the containment zones. Strict monitoring exercise will be in place to ensure that there is no movement of people in or out of these zones except for medical emergencies and supplying of essential items," he said.

The local administration has been strict to contain the spread of the disease and has adopted an approach of tracking, testing and treating, the official said, adding that people arriving here from the mainland are mandatorily required to undergo COVID test.

Altogether, 1,34,722 people have been inoculated with 17,491 of them having received both doses of the vaccine.

At least 15,081 eligible people in the age group of 18-44 years have been vaccinated till date.

The Andaman and Nicobar administration has conducted 3,98,852 sample tests for COVID-19 so far, and the positivity rate stands at 1.83 per cent, the official added.

Information, publicity and tourism secretary SK Singh said adequate stock of essential commodities is available in the islands and there is no need to panic.

"The administration is taking all necessary steps to ensure adequate availability of essential commodities, including LPG, and people are requested not to pay heed to rumours. The Civil Supplies Department is closely monitoring prices of commodities in the wholesale and retail markets," he added.