Port Blair, Aug. 6: The Andaman & Nicobar is in a bad shape when it comes to COVID-19 management. With almost 90 plus positive cases being recorded every day and the recovery rate falling, the situation seems to have gone out of control. As on date there are 16 deaths recorded officially due to the virus and as many as 700 plus active cases. The figure of active cases is expected to touch the 1000 mark in couple of days.  

People across the South Andaman district are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 but it is sorry to note that people who voluntarily come forward to test are denied. Moreover, the rate of testing too, seem to be slow to tackle the demand. Private clinics and hospitals have been shut down in the islands, instead of encouraging them to test the cases. More worse is that the staffs of the Islands’ only referral Hospital, GB Pant who are tested negative have no room inside the hospital. They have been asked to opt for home isolation, which has created

In one of the cases, Doctor Amit Banonie, a Tribal origin doctor who has been serving the people of Hut Bay had shown all the symptoms of COVID-19. It took three days for the Administration to shift the Doctor to GB Pant where he breathed his last. He was later tested Corona Positive. To add to the situation, Late Dr. Amit’s body was misplaced and handed over to the family of another victim who had also succumbed to corona. It was only at the cremation place that people noticed and the body had to be brought back to the hospital.

In another case, a person named Tulasi died on his way to the hospital today due to negligence of the Authorities. Late Tulasi is a resident of Dairy Farm, which has been sealed after being declared as containment area. The family members of the victim had tried to call the ambulance but in vain. The also tried the Police Control Room but it was of no use as no one wishes to enter and support the people who reside in containment areas. The victim somehow sought the help of a noble soul who volunteered to take him to the hospital but on his way he fell down from the moving vehicle as his condition deteriorated and had died on the spot.  

There are many such cases being reported in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, especially in the South Andaman District where Corona is at its peak. The Andaman & Nicobar Administration does not seem to have any contingency plan to tackle the pandemic and in spite of the demands, the moves taken by the Administration is never made public. The data shared in the name of COVID-19 Bulletin too smells fishy as sources indicate that the concerned authorities have asked the COVID-19 testing agency to keep it as secret.

With the kind of mismanagement of COVID-19 in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the virus has now spread to the last district of Union Territory, the Nicobar District which was free of Corona Virus as on date. Seven persons have been tested positive of Corona, which speaks volumes about the mismanagement.