All Other Members in the Family Test Negative in RTPCR Conducted by RMRC

Port Blair, March 22: For her dedicated and undeterred services rendered during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic, a Nursing Officer in the Directorate of Health Services presently posted at PHC Wimberlygunj was nominated for the Lt. Governor’s commendation certificate. The Nursing Officer was also felicitated for her dedication by none other than the lone Member of Parliament of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Shri Kuldeep Rai Sharma at a function organised to recognise the contributions of corona warriors.  

As per the guidelines of the Government of India, the Nursing Officer being a frontline corona warrior was administered with the two doses of Covshield, the second being on 4th of March 2021. She never had any symptoms of COVID-19 or any side-effects of the vaccine till 16th of March 2021, when she tested Corona Positive in a Rapid Test conducted at PHC Wimberlygunj. The testing of COVID-19 positive had created much confusion across the islands with people judging the efficacy of the vaccine.

According to family sources, the Nursing Officer had earlier tested Corona Positive in August 2020. She was quarantined as per protocol and it was only after she got a negative test report that she reported back to her duty. Since then she has been in good health and had been performing her duties as a health worker and a corona warrior.

Family sources add that it was on 10th of March 2021, the Nursing Officer had met few family guests who had arrived from mainland. Four days after meeting the guests, the Nursing Officer developed cold like symptoms and opted to take leave. On 16th of March 2021, she reported for duty at the PHC and after having discussed with the Doctor out there, it was decided for a Rapid Test, which turned out to be positive. It is also learnt that some of the guests after returning to mainland had also tested Corona positive.

Soon after the Nursing Officer tested positive in the Rapid Test, she was admitted in the Corona Ward of GB Pant Hospital where she is undergoing treatment. RTPCR tests were then conducted by the RMRC, Port Blair on her family members and all the tests have turned out to be negative.

Sources reveal that the Nursing Officer is responding well to the treatment. Two samples will be taken by the health authorities. The samples will be sent to the RMRC, Port Blair for Genomic Sequencing to understand the genetic pattern of the virus.