Uttar Pradesh alert over new Covid variant

The health department has sounded an alert about the new variant of Covid ‘B.1.1529’ found in South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana. The chief medical officers have been advised to take samples of all travellers coming from these countries for genome sequencing.

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh health department has sounded an alert about the new variant of Covid ‘B.1.1529’ found in South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana.

South Africa has reported six cases of the new Covid variant ‘B.1.1529’ while Hong Kong has reported one case and Botswana three cases till now. (Pic for representation)

In an advisory to all chief medical officers in the state, additional chief secretary, medical and health Amit Mohan Prasad has asked them to focus on travellers coming from or transiting through these countries and reaching Uttar Pradesh, as well as their contacts.

Such travellers should be taken as those coming from ‘at risk’ countries and their rigorous screening should be done as per the guidelines from the Union ministry of health and family welfare, he said.

South Africa has reported six cases of the new variant ‘B.1.1529’ while Hong Kong has reported one case and Botswana three cases till now.

The chief medical officers have been advised to take samples of all such travellers for genome sequencing. The district surveillance officers shall do the follow-up with contacts of these travellers and also ensure the genome sequencing.

“Genome sequencing is a key tool to check whether a certain variant of Covid is present in the population, as was applied in the past. With quick screening and genome sequencing, spread of the infection can be checked,” said Dr Abhishek Shukla, secretary general, Association of International Doctors.

The health department has written a letter to premier medical institutes, including the PGI and King George’s Medical University, where patients from abroad come for treatment, to compulsorily screen all patients from foreign countries.