The new cases were under treatment at oncology ward of R&R hospital

New Delhi: As many as 24 patients at the Army’s Research and Referral (R&R) Hospital in Delhi Cantonment have tested positive for COVID-19. This includes serving and retired service personnel, and their dependents.

All, who tested positive, were under treatment at the oncology (Cancer) ward of the premier hospital. None of the hospital staff has been affected, Army officials confirmed on Tuesday.

The hospital was under strict protocol, and after the COVID-19 outbreak, visitors had been kept out. The hospital has a separate wing earmarked for COVID-19 patients.

It is suspected that a patient, who was admitted for follow-up treatment, was asymptomatic on arrival. The others got infected from him.

Cancer patients have a lower immunity to the virus due to various drugs and treatment processes they undergo.

All tested positive have been shifted to the Base hospital, which is some 4 km away from the R&R hospital.

To date, as many as 98 personnel from all forces and ex-servicemen have tested positive for COVID-19. Around 42 have been discharged.

Whenever a patient is tested positive, a detailed contact tracing is carried out, including the family members, which are then categorised in the ‘High Risk Group’. Quarantine protocol and testing of those in high risk group is carried out. All this can take up to 48 hours.

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy has quarantined 160 officers and sailors at the INS Netaji Subhash administrative and logistics base at Kolkata. This has happened after two sailors had tested positive for the virus.