At least 21 Indian Navy personnel serving at the Western Naval Command in Mumbai have tested positive for coronavirus, triggering concerns among the top military brass.
It is the first such case of a sizeable number of military personnel being treated for COVID-19. The Indian Army has reported eight cases of the deadly virus so far.
"A total of 21 serving personnel have been tested positive for COVID-19 within naval premises at Mumbai. This number includes 20 sailors of INS Angre, a shore establishment," the Navy said in a statement.
There has been no case of coronavirus onboard any of the ships and submarines of the Indian Navy.
A number of leading navies are grappling with the coronavirus pandemic. A sailor on board the USS Theodore Roosevelt, an aircraft carrier, reported as many as 500 cases of the virus. The French Navy has also been hit by the pandemic