12 trainee sailors of INS Shivaji test coronavirus positive

    Pune, Jun 24 (PTI) At least 12 trainee sailors of the
Lonavala-based INS Shivaji, one of the premier training
establishments of the Indian Navy, have so far tested positive
for coronavirus, officials said.
    The first case was found on June 18 and the infected
cadet was part of a batch of 157 trainee sailors who had
reported back after leave following the easing of lockdown
earlier this month, a release issued by the naval station on
Tuesday said.
    "With the easing of lockdown as per Unlock 1.0 in the
first week of June, a batch of 157 trainee sailors who were
undergoing training at this establishment and were on extended
leave in view of the lockdown, reported back and all were
quarantined for 14 days in one of the institutional quarantine
facilities prepared in the unit," it said.
    One of the trainee sailors from the batch was found to
be symptomatic during the quarantine period and tested
positive for coronavirus on June 18, it said.
    "Further, all the other high-risk contacts who are
staying in that particular quarantine facility are being
tested as per the extant procedure and necessary medical
support is being provided. A total of 12 out of157 trainee
sailors have been found coronavirus positive as on date," the
release said.
    Since the infection is contained to one particular
quarantine block, the possibility of spread of infection to
other areas/personnel of the establishment is negligible.
However, all precautions have been instituted to obviate
further spread, it said.
    All precautions, instructions and directions issued
with respect to COVID-19 by the Government of India and the
Indian Navy, from time to time, are being strictly adhered to,
the release said.
    All personnel in the base are already maintaining the
required precautions against COVID-19, it added.
    INS Shivaji is an Indian Naval station located in the
hill-town of Lonavala in Maharashtra's Pune district. It
houses the Naval College of Engineering which trains officers
of the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard. PTI SPK
GK GK

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)