Port Blair, June 28: The Secretary, IP&T, Shri Sunil Kumar Singh while addressing a COVID-19 media briefing held in the conference hall of IP&T today said that lockdown has been further extended with more relaxation. He urged the Islanders not to be complacent and reiterated the need for strictly adhering to COVID appropriate behavior for their own safety, safety of their family members and the society at large. Following COVID appropriate behavior in letter and spirit by every individual will help the A&N Administration to arrest the spread of corona virus and to minimize the positive cases in A&N Islands, the Secretary said.

The Secretary also disclosed that the RTPCR test conducted on 601 passengers arrived yesterday, 4 corona positive cases have been detected despite having RTPCR negative test report from Mainland. He said today, 2 flights with 311 passengers arrived and their RTPCR reports are awaited.  He further disclosed that 116 persons bound for Middle & North Andaman were tested at Ferrargunj, out of which, 1 person has been detected with corona positive.

The Secretary further said that the vaccination drive is on and till 4 pm today, 912 eligible persons were inoculated in South Andaman District. Out of this, 550 beneficiaries were 18 plus while the remaining were above 45.

The Director ANIIMS, Dr. A.K. Mandal informed that the number of corona positive patients admitted in the G. B Pant Hospital is 9, out of which 6 patients are on Oxygen support and no patient is on ventilator.

The Deputy Director G.B. Pant Hospital, Dr. Amitabha De disclosed that no COVID patient is admitted in the three COVID Care Centres in Port Blair area.  4 COVID patients are being taken care of in the COVID Care Centre at Wimberlygunj, he said.