COVID-19 infiltrates Army, 34-year-old jawan in Leh tests positive

Coronavirus which has so far infected 147 in the country has now infiltrated the defence forces, with the Indian Army on Wednesday (March 18) reporting its first case – a 34-year-old soldier – from Leh.

Belonging to the Ladakh Scouts, an infantry regiment of the Army known as the ‘Snow Warriors’, he has been put in a quarantine facility at the Ladakh Heart Foundation since February 29, army sources said.

The soldier, a resident of Chuhot village in Leh, came in contact with his father, who had returned from a pilgrimage in Iran by an Air India flight on February 20 and tested positive for COVID-19.

Before being quarantined, the soldier’s father had met the family members.

The soldier was on leave from February 25 and rejoined duty on March 2.

Even the soldier’s brother has tested positive, sources said. His sister, wife and two children are also quarantined at SNM Heart Foundation.

“Even though the soldier had rejoined duty, he was helping his family during his father’s quarantine period and stayed at Chuchot village for some time,” they said.

Sources said all those who have come in contact with the soldier have been quarantined but did not give the exact numbers immediately.

Related news: 10 points: India reports third coronavirus death, pvt labs to begin testing

Another Indian army officer has been quarantined at a military institute in Pune with symptoms of the virus, reported NDTV.

According to health officials, the total number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 147 with 10 fresh cases reported from various parts of the country.

The cases include 25 foreign nationals and three persons who died in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra, officials.

(With inputs from agencies.)