COVID-19 tally reaches 1,123 in Andaman; death toll mounts to 16

Four more persons have died of COVID-19 in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, taking the toll to 16 in the Union Territory, while 195 fresh cases pushed the tally of coronavirus patients to 1,123, an official said on Thursday.

A 60-year-old woman from Deglipur area of North Andaman succumbed to the disease, while undergoing treatment at the RP Hospital in Mayabunder, and a 50-year-old patient from Bombooflat area in North Andaman died at the G B Pant Hospital on Wednesday.

Two men, aged 65 and 56, who were residents of Port Blair, died due to COVID-19 at the G B Pant Hospital on Thursday, he said.

Of the 195 fresh cases, 99 were reported on Wednesday and 96 were found on Thursday, the official said, adding that the new patients were detected through contact-tracing exercises.

The Union Territory now has 752 active cases, while 355 patients have recovered from the disease.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands witnessed a steady surge in COVID-19 cases in the recent past and the administration started enforcing a complete lockdown at weekends from the beginning of this month.

The authorities also decided to restrict flights from Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai at least till August 18 in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases in the Union Territory.

Novel coronavirus had knocked on the door of the archipelago when nine persons, who returned from Delhi's Tablighi Jamaat event, were found to have contracted the disease in late March.