Quarantine cubicles on Navy warships soon

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 9

Days after the US Navy and French Navy faced cases of Covid positive sailors on board warships, the Indian Navy has issued clear instructions to create specific isolation cubicles on warships to quarantine Covid suspects.

12-page Advisory

On April 7, the Navy issued a 12-page advisory on how a positive case on board a sailing warship has to be segregated in isolation chambers and then dropped off at the nearest port. At present, there are over 15 warships out at sea with over 4,000 personnel on board.

The 12-page instructions issued on April 7 detail how a positive case on board a sailing warship has to be segregated in isolation chambers and then dropped off at the nearest port at the first available opportunity.

Over 10 days ago, the Navy had banned visits to any port of a foreign country even to pick up supplies, and the latest advisory means suspects will have to be dropped at any Indian port. At present, there are some 15 warships out at sea with over 4,000 personnel on board.

Indian Navy warships continue to be deployed along key maritime trading routes and strategic locations and also on coastal security duties.

Apart from the detailed advisory, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh has also sent across a video message.

The Navy has made it clear that Covid suspects have to be treated as an emergency. So far, no Covid positive case has been reported on warships.

The Navy continues to be deployed in the Strait of Hormuz and is tasked with escorting Indian ships, specially the crude oil tankers that come out of Iran and Kuwait. Warships are also deployed for anti-piracy patrol near the Gulf of Aden, which is the sea route to Europe and the US. Similarly, the deployment along the vital Strait of Malacca continues. Besides, all offshore security and coastal security patrols are being done.

For now, to reduce the load on ships, the number of air sorties has been increased.