Andamans see no new Covid case in 5 days despite steady inflow of tourists

Picturesque Andaman and Nicobar Islands have not reported any coronavirus case for the last five days notwithstanding a steady inflow of tourists into the archipelago, health department officials said Sunday.

The Union Territory has not reported any new COVID-19 case since Tuesday, they said.

The virus caseload in the archipelago remained at 4,994, with only four active cases, a senior health official said.

No casaulty due to the virus has been reported for over a month time as the death toll stays at 62.

One more person was cured of the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries in the islands to 4,928, the official said.

The administration is ensuring a strict compliance of COVID protocols by the natives as well as the tourists visiting the place.

The Andaman and Nicobar administration has conducted 2,21,875 sample tests for COVID-19 so far, and the positivity rate stands at 2.25 per cent, the health official said.

Inoculation drive is going on at a smooth pace in the islands.

So far a total of 2,844 beneficiaries including Defence healthcare workers have received COVID-19 vaccine in the union territory of which 1,518 are in South Andaman district, 1,000 in North Andaman district and 326 in Nicobar district, the official said.

The islands known for its dazzling beauty remained coronavirus-free till the first week of June last year. The first case in the union territoy was detected on June 10, 2020.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported its first COVID-19 death of a 49-year-old patient on July 27 last.

With the islands opening to the tourists and resumption of daily economic activities, the administration has been observing strict COVID protocols to contain spread of the virus.

Official sources said anybody arriving by flight or reaching by ship from Kolkata or Chennai is mandatorily required to show a negative coronavirus report before the authorities allow them to enter the islands.

A compulsory coronavirus test is conducted on everybody deboarding a jetty even after inter-islands movemement, officials said.

Besides, a fine of Rs 2000 is imposed on anybody found moving without face mask in Port Blair and other places in the UT, officials said.

The civil and police officials have also launched a vigorous awareness drive against COVID-19 as safety protocols against the deadly disease, they said.

The tourism industry which was hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic has started receiving a large number of visitors as all the major tourist attractions in the archipelago have been opened by the administration.

Tourists must carry a COVID-19 negative report before they are allowed entry into the islands.