24 in-patients at Army’s R&R hospital test positive for COVID-19

The Army on Tuesday said that 24 in-patients at the Army’s Research and Referral (R&R) Hospital in the national capital have tested positive for COVID-19.

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“All of them were in the Oncology department and have been shifted to Base Hospital in Delhi Cantonment,” the Army said, adding no health staff have been reported to be positive. All 24 patients were undergoing cancer treatment, and include serving and retired military personnel and their dependents.

Vacation of the ward and a part of the building had been undertaken immediately to start sanitisation. Investigation into the source of the contagion takes time and is under process, sources said.

An officer said that as standard protocol in COVID-19 cases, after a patient has tested positive, detailed contact tracing is carried out, including that of family members, who are categorised as part of a high risk group. After this, quarantine protocol and testing is followed for the high risk group, which can take up to 48 hours, the officer said.

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Till date, a total of 74 people from the Armed Forces, including 60 serving personnel from the three Services and also veterans and dependants, have been hospitalised for COVID-19. This does not include the 24 positive cases reported from the Army’s R&R Hospital on Tuesday. Of the 74 persons admitted, 42 have been discharged after successful treatment, which includes 28 serving personnel from the three Services.