The most infectious strain of coronavirus in the UK was first detected in September (archive)
Bangalore:
An apartment complex in Bengaluru was “closed” after two residents, a mother and her daughter, tested positive for the mutated strain of the coronavirus that was first detected in the UK three months ago.
Both patients, who are among the hundreds who have recently returned from the UK, have been admitted to the state-run Victoria Hospital, and the primary and secondary contacts have been evaluated and placed in institutional quarantine, he told NDTV. Karnataka’s Minister of Health, Dr. K Sudhakar.
Dr. Sudhakar also brushed off concerns that the apartment complex had been sealed off, a haunting reminder of infection protocols in the early days of the pandemic, noting that the state was only following SOPs (Standard Operating Protocols ) previously established.
“There was a mother and her son on the same floor. So it’s just closed … I can’t say it’s sealed. We are following standard operating procedures that we initially followed. This virus seems very aggressive (and) we would like to take extreme precautions. and make sure others in the building are not affected, “said Dr. Sudhakar.
Seven cases of the UK strain of coronavirus have been confirmed in Karnataka so far: three in the Bengaluru metropolitan region and four in the Shivamogga district. All seven were detected from genome sequencing tests in samples from 20 people who returned from the UK last month.
“We have identified all the primary and secondary contacts of these seven people and we have isolated them in institutional quarantine. We have tested all the contacts. The infected people have been admitted to government institutions, where their condition is not serious and they are being treated,” he added . additional.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has appealed to all who have returned from the UK, or any other country, in the last two months to get tested.
“Those who have already arrived, instead of disappearing, should test themselves. The virus spreads very easily … this will help to control it. Those who have come from outside in the last two months … a medical checkup, “said Mr. Yediyurappa.
Karnataka’s daily Covid numbers have fallen from a high of more than 10,000 per day to less than 2,000. However, with rapidly spreading mutant variants of the virus posing a new (and far more sinister) challenge, the government wants to play it safe and keep infection rates under control.
Among other measures, the state has issued a notice that bans New Year’s celebrations in public spaces. This comes after last week’s flip = flop on a temporary overnight curfew.
This morning, the center said 20 cases of the UK strain of the virus had so far been detected across the country: nine in Delhi, seven in Karnataka and the rest in Pune, Kolkata and Hyderabad.
Medical experts say that the mutated virus strains present no different challenge, other than being significantly more infectious, and that the existing batch of Covid vaccines should be effective.
India is likely to grant emergency use approval to its first vaccine this week: Covishield. The vaccine will be manufactured by the Pune-based Serum Institute, whose CEO, Adar Poonawalla, told NDTV that most of the 50 million doses already produced have been reserved for India.
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