4 more test positive for COVID-19 in Andaman and Nicobar

Islands, total cases rise to 33

Port Blair, Apr 26 () Four more people have testedpositive for COVID-19 in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands,taking the total number of cases to 33, an official said onSunday.

All the four persons had come in contact with aCOVID-19 patient and his family in Bambooflat area in southAndaman district, he said.

Last week, a 39-year-old police radio operator hadtested positive for COVID-19 in the locality, which has nowbeen declared a hotspot.

Of the total cases reported in the Union Territory, 22are active now, the official said.

More than 100 samples have been sent to the RegionalMedical Research Centre here for tests on Sunday morning, theofficial said.

It includes the samples of 10 coronavirus patients,whose samples had tested negative in the previous test.

If the 10 samples test negative again, the personswill be released from the guest house where they have beenquarantined, he said.

Till Saturday, a total of 2,741 samples had been sentfor tests, and of these, results of 2,617 had come, theofficial had said.

The health department has so far received 3,800 rapidtest kits from the Centre, he said.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration has setup an isolation centre at the GB Pant Hospital with 50 beds,and a total of 961 people are now in quarantine centres, theofficial said.

The Union Territory administration has adopted the"pool testing" method using less kits for more tests in thefight against novel coronavirus. CORMM MM