Navy patrols on, but no foreign port visits

Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 1

Despite the threat of Covid, Indian Navy warships continue to be deployed along key maritime trading routes and strategic locations. So far, none of its personnel on board ships have tested positive while foreign port visits have been barred even to pick supplies.

Safety measures

Any ship returning to port will have 14 days of quarantine for ships sailing out, health of all personnel who are to sail is being monitored at least four to five days prior to sailing

Cases of Covid positive are being reported in the US Navy and that has led the Indian Navy to issue an advisory. “No such case (of Covid) has been reported so far, in case of anyone showing symptoms he will be isolated onboard till the ship returns or the personnel will be evacuated,” a functionary said.

The US Navy that has some 60 per cent of its force deployed in the Indo-Pacific — an area defined from the west coast of India to Hawaii, the US island in Pacific Ocean.

British newspaper, The Guardian, reported that US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt was in the Pacific when it reported an unconfirmed number of Covid positive cases. It has since pulled into port in Guam, a US island territory in the western Pacific. Sources said the Indian Navy continues to be deployed in the straits of Hormuz.