Lakshadweep Reports Its First COVID Case

Kochi: The Lakshadweep islands, which remained COVID-free so far, are learnt to have reported the first COVID case on Monday, sources said.

However, the Dweep administration refused to officially declare the same saying that the development was yet to be validated by the health ministry.

According to the sources the first positive case was reported from Kavaratti island on Monday and the patient has been moved to the Covid care hospital in the island.

“A contact tracing was conducted and all primary contacts seem to be in Kavaratti. The first positive case is a chef attached to the Indian Reserve Battalion. He went on leave and returned to Lakshadweep on January 4. After almost two weeks, he developed a fever and headache. He was tested positive afterwards. The infection was confirmed with TrueNat testing,” said the source, as quoted by Hindustan Times.

The source also added that four more people are suspected to have been turned positive, however, their details were yet to be made available.

It said that Lakhadweep has a COVID hospital of 30 bed capacity and positive persons would be admitted there. All the primary contacts would be traced and if they do not have any symptoms they will be on home quarantine.

The islands are presently capable of dealing with the situation and if the need arises then the administration will think of moving the patients to Kochi, he said.

The new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which did away with the quarantine system at Kochi as well as in the islands, came into force on December 28, 2020.