Covid 19 scare in air force, airman quarantined after Nizamudin visit

A Covid 19 scare was triggered in the air force after an airman posted at the Palam base was placed under quarantine after he visited the Nizamuddin area in the capital during the time of the Tablighi Jamaat congregation last month.

The airman, who is posted at the critical 3 Wing of the air force, was traced after the Delhi police traced all phone records of people present in the Nizamuddin area as part of efforts to contain the spread of the virus.

Sources said that at least two more air force personnel and their families have been placed under quarantine as a precautionary measure and the issue is being probed.


It is still not clear why the airman did not disclose his visit to the Nizamuddin area after news about the outbreak spread.

The armed forces have so far remained largely insulated from the outbreak with three cases being reported before this, all of which have been contained. The first case reported was in Ladakh when a soldier came in contact with a relative who had come back from Iran.

Two other cases involved a soldier posted in Dehradun who had visited Delhi and a doctor (Colonel) posted in Kolkata who had also visited the national capital.

Detailed instructions on combating the virus and taking precautions have been widely communicated within the three forces.