New
Delhi, (the states. news)
As many as 20 more people were tested positive
for the new UK variant of Novel Coronavirus, taking the total number of such
cases to 58, the Union Health Ministry said here on Tuesday.
As per an official statement released by the Ministry, a total of 10 samples
have been detected in NIMHANS, Bengaluru; three in CCMB, Hyderabad; 25 in NIV,
Pune; 11 in IGIB, Delhi; eight in NCDC, New Delhi and one in NCBG, Kolkata.
A new variant of SARS-CoV-2 was found in the UK, which according to experts,
was said to be up to 70 per cent more transmissible. Several countries,
including India, have suspended flights with the UK and launched screening of
the UK returnees, to prevent the spread of the new mutant.
The samples for the UK strain are being tested at designated 10 Indian
SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortia labs for
genome sequencing.
All the infected persons have been kept in single room isolation in designated
Health Care facilities by respective State Governments, while their close contacts
are under quarantine, the Ministry added.
The Ministry further said that the infected patients’ 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, it said.( uni) (media saheb.com)
Twenty more infected by new COVID-19 strain
