Samples of 2 COVID-19-hit UK returnees sent for analysis

Swab samples of two COVID-19 patients who returned from the UK recently have been sent to a Delhi institute to ascertain if they have been infected by a new strain detected in the European country, a Madhya Pradesh health department official said on Monday.

The samples of these patients from Madhya Pradesh, who came back from Britain this month, have been sent to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which functions under the Union health ministry, he said.

These two men, aged 39 and 29, were found infected with COVID-19 after they underwent RT-PCR test, Indore's nodal officer for prevention of COVID-19 Amit Malakar said.

"The samples of these men have been sent to New Delhi through a regular flight for examination at NCDC," he said.

"The test report of NCDC will clarify whether or not they are infected with the same strain that has been found in the UK," Malakar said.

While the 39-year-old returned to Indore from the UK on December 6, the second person came back from Scotland on December 18.

One of them is admitted in a government-run super speciality hospital, while the other is under home isolation.