However, it remains to be confirmed if any of those found positive have contracted the new variant of the coronavirus.
A total of 40 people, half of them returnees from the UK, and the rest their contacts, tested positive for the coronavirus in Tamil Nadu and are being treated in separate isolation rooms, the state government said on Wednesday. While the UK’s primary virus cases rose to 20 from 19 on Tuesday, the number of his contacts who tested positive during the same time increased to 20 from 16, according to a bulletin. Thus, five more positive cases have been reported in the UK Contacts and Returnees category.
However, it has not yet been confirmed if any of those found positive have contracted the new variant of the coronavirus. About 2,300 passengers traveled from the UK recently, of which 20 tested positive, 1,708 negative and 167 results were expected, the bulletin said, adding that “tracking of other passengers is underway.” Although more than 1,700 passengers tested negative, as an additional precautionary measure, his 1,041 close contacts were tracked and tested and all tested negative.
All UK returnees and their contacts who tested positive were being treated in separate isolation rooms, the government said. The returnees and their contacts came from Chennai, Thanjavur, Madurai, Nilgiris, Theni, Chengalpattu and Nagapattinam.
On Wednesday, 945 people tested positive for the virus in Tamil Nadu, bringing the total active cases in the state to 8,615. The state has witnessed a total of 8.17 lakh of coronavirus cases since the pandemic broke out in India in March. Among all districts, Chennai recorded the highest number of new cases on Wednesday, as 275 people tested positive for the coronavirus, followed by Coimbatore with 91 cases and Chengalpattu with 48 cases.
The state also recorded 17 coronavirus deaths on Wednesday. Among the deaths reported in the state, the youngest person to succumb to the virus was a 46-year-old man from Chennai with no comorbidities. The 46-year-old man was admitted to a private hospital in Chennai on December 17 with complaints of fever, cough and shortness of breath. The patient received treatment but succumbed to the virus on December 28 due to acute respiratory distress syndrome and COVID-19 pneumonia.
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