Gujarat: Four UK returnees detected with new COVID strain in Ahmedabad, isolated

At least 4 UK returnees in Gujarat tested positive for new UK strain of coronavirus, a health department official anunced on January 1. According to a PTI report, nearly 15 COVID-19 positive samples were traced in Ahmedab via geme sequencing by National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, of which, four detected with UK’s variant were isolated immediately at Ahmedab's SVP Hospital. 

"All passengers who h reached Ahmedab from UK were screened, and samples of those who h tested positive for coronavirus were sent to NIV. We have received intimation that UK strain of coronavirus has been detected in four such cases," PTI quoted Principal Secretary (Health), Jayanti Ravi as saying. He ded that results of 15 samples that tested positive for coronavirus on arrival in Ahmedab were pending with NIV. In accordance with Centre's guidelines, patients were quarantined to prohibit spre of more contagious mutated geme. 

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India’s health ministry told reporters that government scrambled to enact preventive strategy with rigorous testing and tracing of overseas travellers and UK returnees at airport to detect entry of mutant variant at earliest and separate those infected with new strain with immediate effect. strategy incorporates suspension of air carriers’ operation from England and London. rule came into effect at midnight of December 23 and will be active until January 7. Authorities have also initiated mandatory testing of all UK- returned air passengers through RT-PCR test at arrivals. 

Total 29 cases 

Thus far at least 29 total cases of new UK strain have been detected in country. Earlier, three cases were detected at a lab in Bengaluru, one in Hyderab, nearly 10 cases in Delhi, and over five cases in Pune, according to reports. variant first caused an alarm in UK in September and was anunced spreing in parts of England and London by UK’s health secretary Matt Hancock, who called variant 70 percent more transmissible and constituting majority of cases across England as government scrambled to curb infection rate via stringent tier-4 restrictions.

(with inputs from PTI) 

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(Im Credit: PTI)