5 more UK returnees test +ve in State

As part of COVID-19 active case finding, two cases were found in Chennai and one each in The Nilgiris, Thanjavur and Theni on Saturday. Earlier, a total of 49 passengers who travelled from the UK between December 21 and 23 were tested and among them, one person was tested positive for COVID-19. So far, approximately 2,300 passengers travelled from the UK between November 25 and December 21. 

So far, a total of 1,362 passengers have been traced and tested and 1,035 of them reported negative for COVID-19. Meanwhile, the results of 318 passengers are awaited. The State Health department officials continue to trace international passengers from the UK. The samples of these five passengers who have tested positive for COVID-19 have also been sent to National Institute of Virology, Pune. The results of the previous five samples are expected to arrive in two days. 

Among the 81 contacts of the above 10 positive patients, four persons tested positive for COVID-19 and 33 were negative. Results of 44 of them are awaited. The officials from the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine said separate isolation wards are being kept ready in government hospitals to keep the UK returnee positive patients and their positive contacts.