3 samples sent to CCMB found positive for UK variant of coronavirus

Three people who returned from the UK recently were infected with the mutated strain of coronavirus, a top official of the CCMB in Hyderabad said on Tuesday.

Around 40 samples were sent to CSIR- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) for ascertaining the presence of the new variant out of which three had a new strain.

"CCMB has received about 40 samples of COVID-19 positive patients who returned from the UK recently. Some of them have wrongly tested positive for the virus.

We finished sequencing (for a new variant) of 20 samples, out of which three are positive of this strain (new variant from the UK)," Rakesh Mishra, Director, CSIR-CCMB told PTI.

Mishra said there is no surprise that the new variant of the virus is found in some of the samples. According to the official, large scale testing is the need of the hour and people need not worry too much about the new strain.

"It (a new strain of COVID-19) is just fresh, otherwise, it is the same virus and not much of an issue. Same symptoms, mortality, everything is the same.. we just have to take precautions," he said adding that the new strain may spread faster.

He said India is the largest reservoir of coronavirus and people should take precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.

According to the government, 1,216 people have returned from the UK to Telangana since December 9 and out of them, 1060 have been traced and six of them left for different countries while 58 belong to other states.

The state government has conducted tests on 996 people, out of which 21 tested positive and the results of nine more are awaited.

(Image credits: Representative/PTI)