With 15 more people testing positive for the new UK variant of Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the total number of UK returnees having tested positive for the mutant virus in the country has reached 73, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday.
The results are based on the genome sequencing of positive samples released by the Indian Sars-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium labs that the Centre has specifically created for the purpose of monitoring any kind of mutations in the virus.
“The total number of cases infected with the new strain of the novel coronavirus first reported in the UK now stands at 73,” the ministry said.
All these persons have been kept in single room isolation in designated health care facilities by respective state governments. Their close contacts have also been put under quarantine., the ministry said.
“The situation is under careful watch and regular advice is being provided to the states for enhanced surveillance, containment, testing and dispatch of samples to INSACOG labs,” said the health ministry in a statement.