COVID-19 positive civilian staff at Army's OTA in TN declared negative in fresh test

(Eds: Changes headline, updates with staffer beingdeclared negative)

Chennai, May 6 () A civilian staffer working at theOfficers' Training Academy (OTA) here tested negative forCOVID-19 on Wednesday, two days after he was declared positivefor the pathogen, the premier Army institute said. The staff member was working in the OTA kitchen here andwas admitted to a government hospital on Sunday "afterreporting chest congestion," it said in a statement in themorning, adding, the person tested positive for COVID-19 thefollowing day. However, in an update issued later in the day, the OTAsaid the man has now been declared negative for the deadlyvirus. The OTA civil staffer, "categorised as corona positive(earlier) has now been declared as COVID-19 negative by the(government) hospital based on test results received today,"it said. Strict precautionary measures will continue at OTA forprevention against the spread of the contagion, it added.

Earlier, the institute, which train cadets from foreigncountries also, had said that as a precautionary measure allcontacts of the civilian have been quarantined, and that noarmy cadets were staying there now.

"Presently there are no cadets in the Academy. Onebatch of cadets had recently passed out and the other batchundergoing training is presently on term break since March 8.OTA is functioning with minimal staff," it had said in itsmorning update.

OTA is a prestigious institution turning out a constantflow of competent officers for the Army every six months. SAVS VS