Six UK Travelers Test Positive For Mutated COVID-19 Strain In India - Health Ministry

Six UK Travelers Test Positive for Mutated COVID-19 Strain in India - Health Ministry

At least six cases of a new COVID-19 variant that recently emerged in the United Kingdom have been confirmed in India, the country's health ministry said on Tuesday

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th December, 2020) At least six cases of a new COVID-19 variant that recently emerged in the United Kingdom have been confirmed in India, the country's health ministry said on Tuesday.

"A total of 6 samples of 6 UK returnee persons have been found to be positive with the new U.K variant genome. 3 in NIMHANS, Bengaluru, 2 in CCMB, Hyderabad and 1 in NIV, Pune. All these persons have been kept in single room isolation in designated Health Care facilities by respective State Governments. Their close contacts have also been put under quarantine. Comprehensive contact tracing has been initiated for co-travellers, family contacts and others. Genome sequencing on other specimens is going on," the statement said.

According to the statement, from November 25 to December 23, about 33,000 passengers arrived in various Indian airports from the United Kingdom. All the passengers are being tracked and subjected to polymerase chain reaction coronavirus tests. It is noted that 114 passengers have tested positive for COVID-19 so far.

Earlier in December, London announced that a new coronavirus strain was detected in the country, adding that the new variant can be up to 70 percent more transmissible than other SARS-CoV-2 variants. After the news, many countries, including India, suspended travel to and from the UK. There is no evidence that the new strain is more pathogenic.