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Key points
- The Telangana Department of Medical Health is on high alert
- Samples of all those who tested positive sent to the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology
- New strain more transmissible than other variants of SARS-CoV-2
New Delhi: At least 279 passengers who recently returned from the UK to Telangana are untraceable, state health officials said on Saturday, while 59 new cases were registered, bringing the number of newly contracted infections in returning UK passengers to 119 across the country since last Sunday.
According to the Telangana Police, 184 people had given incorrect phone numbers and addresses.
They further said that 92 untraceable returnees are from the neighboring states of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka.
‘Inform the health department and get tested’
The state director of public health, G Srinivasa Rao, has said that people who have contracted the new type of virus need not worry.
“They just need to be vigilant, wear the mask correctly, follow physical distancing and wash their hands regularly,” he said.
Rao further said that 937 of the 1,216 people have been identified and tested for the infectious disease and that two people tested positive on Saturday.
According to the state government statement, 79 people in close contact of the 18 people infected with the new strain of COVID-19 have been quarantined and their health status is being closely monitored.
Samples of those who tested positive have been sent to Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) here to sequence the genome, PTI reported.
‘Telangana takes concrete measures to deal with the new strain’
Rao has called on people with a UK travel history to report to the health department so that medical staff can come to their home and take tests. He also claimed that the state government was taking concrete steps to combat the virus.
People who have come directly to the state from the UK after 9 December or who have traveled within the UK have been asked to provide their details by calling 040-24651119 or WhatsApp at 9154170960.
A new strain of the coronavirus was detected in the UK last week, and experts say this strain is more transmissible compared to other SARS-CoV-2 variants.
