Passenger returning from China tested Covid positive in Kovai airport

CHENNAI: One more China returnee tested positive for Covid on Thursday, while two cases were reported from UAE and one from Malaysia.

The passenger returning from China tested positive at Coimbatore Airport. This is the third case of international passengers from China tested positive for COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu.

Alarmed by the resurgence of Coronavirus vis-a-vis Omicron sub-variant BF.7 in several nations, India has geared up to face a possible health crisis. Accordingly, the two percent random sampling in all the Indian airports was enforced a few days ago. All the passengers from China, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand and South Korea are being tested.

So far, 10 international passengers have been tested positive for COVID-19 at the International Airports in Tamil Nadu, while eight of them are under home isolation and their samples have been sent for genomic sequencing and two is cross notified or discharged.

This includes three passengers from China, two from Oman, two from UAE, one from Bangkok, one from Malaysia and another from Kuwait. However, it is not yet ascertained if the those who tested positive are infected by the BF.7 variant yet.

A total of 13 cases were reported in Tamil Nadu, including three imported cases. This takes the total number of cases of COVID-19 in the State to 35,94,401.

Two cases each were in Chennai, Coimbatore and Thoothukudi, one case each was reported in the Nilgiris, Kancheepuram and Vellore. The positivity rate in the State stood at 0.1 percent, with 0.7 percent highest TPR was reported in Vellore. As many as 5,362 samples were tested in the past 24 hours.

The active cases of COVID-19 stood at 68, with highest of 26 active cases in Chennai. As many as five recoveries were reported, taking the toll to 35,56,284. No more deaths due to COVID-19 were reported, and the numbers stood at 38,049.