All eleven members of the Great Andamanese tribe, who had contracted the novel coronavirus earlier, have recovered from COVID-19, said the Andaman and Nicobar Administration. They will soon be located back to their settlement at the Strait Island.
Out of the six scheduled tribes in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, five of the tribes are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PGTV), including the Great Andamanese. Many of the members are working government jobs and have accommodation in Port Blair, the capital city of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
As a precautionary measure, the administration had shifted the Great Andamanese to their native place of Strait Island in April after testing them for COVID-19. However, after the Unlock 2 and 3 was declared, the tribals returned to Port Blair.
Meanwhile, as the Union Territory witnessed a surge in coronavirus cases in August, they were advised to shift to their settlement at Strait Island. During the course of shifting to their settlement in Strait Island, 11 Great Andamanese tribals tested positive for COVID-19. While some were asymptomatic, others had mild symptoms. Some of them were admitted to GB Pant Hospital as a precautionary measure and others were advised to stay in home isolation.
After undergoing the mandatory isolation period, all members tested negative for coronavirus.
In a press release on Tuesday, the Andaman and Nicobar Administration said that all the 11 Great Andamanese tribals who tested positive for the novel coronavirus have fully recovered and are in good state of health. They will be shifted to their settlement in Strait Island shortly by the Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti (AAJVS).
The Tribal Welfare Officer of AAJVS and an official of the medical sub-centre at Strait Island have been provided with Thermal Scanner and Oximeter to monitor the body temperature and oxygen levels of these tribals periodically.
Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure, the administration tested samples of Onge tribals from Dugong Creek and random samples of Jarawa tribe from different tribal habitations and all of them are said to have tested negative. The Shompens are also said to be safe in their abode at Great Nicobar Island. All the field functionaries posted in the tribal settlements have been advised to be alert and protect the tribes from COVID-19.
As of Tuesday, Andaman and Nicobar Islands have reported a total of 3,392 cases with 3,035 recoveries and 50 deaths. The Union Territory has a total of 307 active cases.