Two UK returnees have mutant virus strain, at isolation in Delhi hospital

Two Gurugram residents who returned to India from the United Kingdom on December 23 have tested positive for the new mutant strain of SARS-CoV-2 virus, according

Two Gurugram residents who returned to India from the United Kingdom on December 23 have tested positive for the new mutant strain of SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to the Gurugram health department. The two positive cases are currently admitted to the special isolation ward at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital in New Delhi.

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“Two men were tested positive for the Covid-19 at the Indira Gandhi International Airport upon their arrival on December 23. Since then, they have been in Delhi and were confirmed positive for the UK strain on December 29,” said Dr Virender Yadav, chief medical officer.

He said that based on the information shared with the state health department, both the positive patients have been kept in isolation at the Delhi facility. “Their three contacts are also isolated at Delhi since their arrival on December 23,” said Yadav.

The mutant coronavirus strain, which surfaced among the UK returnees, is believed to be 70% more transmissible than the strain prevalent in India. Besides, the district health department on Tuesday sent the sample of a 22-year-old man, who had tested positive on Tuesday, to the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology in Delhi for genome sequencing to confirm the presence of the new strain. The UK returnee arrived in Gurugram on December 19 and was confirmed Covid-19 positive on Tuesday. He is currently at a separate isolation facility set up by the health department in Gurugram.

Yadav said that the results of genome sequencing are likely to be revealed in the next two days. He said, “His three immediate contacts (family members) were also tested and were found negative for the coronavirus disease on Wednesday.”

According to the Union ministry of health and family welfare, 20 persons across the country have been detected with the new mutant variant of Covid-19 reported in the UK. These are out of the 107 samples processed until December 29 at 10 labs that, together, form the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) for genomic sequencing of new Covid-19 strain. In the wake of the development, the government has extended the temporary suspension of flights to and from the UK till January 7.

At the district level, health teams are also conducting mandatory testing of UK returnees, who have returned to the city since December 8. Based on the list shared by the state health department, the number of travellers who arrived since December 8 exceeded 721 on Wednesday.

Of the 721, 525 have been traced by the health department, 164 moved to other cities or countries, while 32 people continue to remain untraceable.

At least 369 people who arrived in the city have been tested, of whom 354 have tested negative and the results of others are awaited.