Representational image. | A file photo of Nicobar district police explaining the significance of physical distancing to local residents. | Photo: Twitter/@AndamanPolice
Representational image. | A file photo of Nicobar district police explaining the significance of physical distancing to local residents. | Photo: Twitter/@AndamanPolice
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New Delhi: Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda on Saturday said his ministry was in regular touch with the administration in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where 10 members of the dwindling Great Andamanese tribe tested positive for the coronavirus recently.

The Andaman & Nicobar administration is alert to the safety of its tribe, especially the Vulnerable Tribal Groups, (PVTGS) through Integrated Tribal development authority, he tweeted.

The minister said precautionary measures are being taken to protect these vulnerable tribal groups from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officials from the ministry are regularly in touch with the local administration in Port Blair, working for the welfare of the indigenous tribal group in the islands, Munda said in another tweet.

There are only 59 surviving members of the Great Andamanese tribe, all of them on Strait Island in the archipelago.

After six members of the tribe, who had travelled to Port Blair, the regions’ capital, for work, tested positive for the virus, a health team travelled to the Strait Island last week to carry out tests of the remaining members.

Out of 37 samples tested, four more from the tribe were found to be positive, Health Department Deputy Director and Nodal Officer Avijit Roy had told PTI.

 

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