UK Returnee From Chennai Tests Positive For New Covid-19 Variant

Radhakrishnan was speaking to the media here when he shared the information about the UK returnee who has tested positive for the mutant virus variant of coronavirus. He said the patient is being treated separately.
 
Radhakrishnan also said among others who tested positive for novel Coronavirus, 17 were UK returnees and 16 of their contacts have also tested positive for coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the new variant of COVID-19 has been reported in India after 6 UK returnees tested positive for the new mutant virus strain.

Three samples from National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, two in Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad and one in National Institute of Virology, Pune have tested positive for the new COVID-19 variant.

The sample tested positive at National Institute of Virology, Pune is of the UK returnee who tested positive for COVID-19 in Chennai, stated Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan.

The state health department officials said that the patient has been kept in a separate wing at a government hospital and those who had contact with have also been tested. Radhakrishnan said that the patient is stable and his health is improving.

The contacts of the patient who also tested positive for COVID-19 have been kept in isolation in a separate wing and their samples have been sent to National Institute of Virology. The patient's co-passengers tested negative for COVID-19. The results of 29 other samples sent for genomic sequencing are yet to be declared.

At least 17 people who travelled from UK to Chennai between November 25 and December 23 tested positive for COVID-19. The samples of their contacts have also been sent to National Institute of Virology Pune.

The state health department has instructed government hospitals to strengthen separate wings for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The Health Secretary said that all passengers — who have come from UK to Chennai either directly or through other routes — are being tested.

Of about 2,300 passengers who have arrived from UK to Chennai between November 25 and 23 December, 1,600 have been traced and tested.