NEW DELHI : Twenty six personnel of the Indian Navy have been placed in isolation after testing positive for covid-19 in Mumbai, a person familiar with the development said on Saturday revising the earlier number of infected of 21. Though the discovery has set off alarm bells in the Indian defence establishment, the Indian Navy has quickly moved to reassure the country that unlike in the case of the US and France where covid-19 cases were discovered on frontline warships, not a “single case of Covid-19 onboard any ship, submarine or air station of the Indian Navy." “The Indian Navy is committed to containing the spread of the infection to the maximum extent possible and remains operationally prepared as always, to meet any challenges in the maritime domain," the person cited above said. The Indian army has so far reported eight positive cases. On the preparedness of the Indian navy, the person said that Indian Navy “remains combat-ready, mission-capable and is in full readiness to partake in the national mission to fight the pandemic as well as to provide support to our friendly neighbours in the IOR (Indian Ocean Region)."

Source: Mint April 18, 2020 13:36 UTC