The Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported its first Covid-19 case after a man who returned from Kolkata tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Thursday, the local government said.
Chetan Sanghi, the chief secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, said that the man, who came from Kolkata on a Vistara flight, landed in Andaman on Tuesday. He has been sent to a hospital.
Sanghi had earlier said the person had returned from Chennai. Later, he clarified that he had mistaken the patient with a namesake passenger who returned from Chennai around the same time, and had been asked to go in quarantine.
The chief secretary urged residents to not panic or believe rumours. He assured them that medicines, milk and grocery will be available amid total lockdown in the Union Territory. “Orders issued for Door Delivery of all grocery items in the neighborhood from one grocery store in each ward,” Sanghi wrote on Twitter. “Select pharmacies will supply medicines also to people at their doorsteps.”
Earlier this month, a man who returned to Andaman from the United States, had tested negative for coronavirus. He had, however, not revealed his travel history to the authorities.
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There are 649 coronavirus cases in India, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Thirteen people have died of the disease caused by the fast-spreading virus. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown, the longest among countries hit by the pandemic. During the three-week lockdown period, only essential services will be allowed to operate. People have been strictly asked to stay indoors.
The World Health Organization on Wednesday urged countries that have locked down their populations to prevent the spread of the coronavirus to find new cases and do everything they can to “suppress and stop” the transmission of Covid-19. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom, however, said that a lockdown will buy more time and reduce pressure on healthcare but will not be enough to eradicate the pandemic from the world.
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