COVID-19 : Navy provides indigenous sanitizing units in Kerala

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, eight hand sanitizing units were handed over to the district administration of Ernakulam by Southern Naval Command, here on Tuesday.

The civil administration had requested the Navy for 30 units.

Naval Ship Repair Yard, Kochi has prepared these units indigenously and has incorporated features for the prevention of Coronavirus. The unit consists of a stand with an integral foot-operated mechanism to dispense the soap. The modifications have been incorporated to ensure that usage of hand is avoided.

In the period of lockdown where material availability has been scarce, the fabrication has been undertaken by the ingenious use of available scrap material, springs, empty containers of fire fighting foam, etc.

While eight units were handed over to the district collector, more would be delivered as soon as the fabrication of the rest gets completed.

The total number of coronavirus cases in India climbed to 1397 on Tuesday after 146 new infections were reported in the past 24 hours across the country. The death toll due to the COVID-19 rose to 35 while 123 cases were cured or discharged after treatment, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.