New Covid strain: Uttarakhand starts tracing UK returnees
The samples have been sent to Pune’s National Institute of Virology and their results were expected this week
Uttarakhand has started tracing 227 people, who have over the last month arrived in the state from the UK amid concerns about the new and more contagious Covid-19 strain found there.
Abhishek Tripathi, the state’s officer-in-charge of Covid-19, said the returnees from the UK are being isolated as per the protocols. “We have so far sent for testing samples of seven--six returnees and one contact--who have tested positive for Covid-19 and are waiting for the results. A procedure is being followed for the genome testing...”
The samples have been sent to Pune’s National Institute of Virology and their results were expected this week.
Also Read: Experts believe Covid-19 vaccine will work on the new coronavirus variant as tests continue
Tripathi said district surveillance teams are working on contact tracing, isolating, and taking samples of the individuals who have returned from the UK. “Our treatment protocol for cases of the new strain, if any, has been decided and orders from the state health secretary have also been issued to all districts.”
Dr Pankaj Singh, who is involved in monitoring the records of UK returnees, said the 227 were tested at the airports after returning from the UK. “The state government, as a precautionary measure, is testing all of them once again. We have also isolated these returnees and are keeping a tab on their health condition.”
Uttarakhand has so far reported over 89,000 Covid-19 cases since March. As many as 81,000 of them have recovered.