Pandemic under check in Andamans as tourists required to furnish COVID negative reports to enter archipelago: Official

PORT BLAIR: The coronavirus pandemic is under control in Andaman and Nicobar Islands as tourists are required to furnish COVID negative reports from their respective states or Union territories to enter the archipelago, a senior health official said on Sunday.

Deputy Director (Health) and nodal officer for COVID-19, Dr Avijit Roy, said that the Union territory administration is ensuring strict adherence to the safety guidelines.

"It is compulsory for tourists to produce COVID negative reports from their native places to enter the islands. The archipelago has not reported a single coronavirus fatality in the last six months," he said.

Even islanders have to produce COVID negative certificates to visit any other island than the one they live in, the health official said.

A few cases are being reported during contact tracing, the health official said.

Wearing masks and maintaining social distance is compulsory.

People are very aware now and enthusiastic about vaccination, he said.

The administration is also keeping a vigil on social gatherings and strict action is being taken against organisers of events where the limit of gatherings is breached, Roy said.

M Vinod, president of Andaman Association of Tour Operators, said that all the islands have been opened for tourism and 700-800 tourists are visiting the archipelago on average every day.

The archipelago has been generally reporting zero new cases and only 1-2 fresh infections on odd days.

The Union territory's caseload stands at 5,038, of which seven are active cases, while 4,969 people have recovered from the disease and 62 patients have succumbed to the infection so far.

The administration has so far tested over 3.02 lakh samples for COVID-19. A total of 12,374 health workers and frontline personnel have been vaccinated so far, of whom 4,774 have received the second dose.

Around 2,606 people above 45 years of age have also been inoculated.