The new UK Sars-Cov-2 virus genome variant has arrived in India, with six returnees from the UK testing positive for the new variant, based on initial results of genome sequencing of published positive samples. by the Sars-CoV-2 of India. Laboratories of the Genomics Consortium (Insacog) on Tuesday.
“A total of six samples from six returnees from the UK have been found to be positive for the new UK genome variant. 3 in NIMHANS, Bengaluru, 2 in CCMB, Hyderabad and 1 in NIV, Pune, ”the union’s ministry of health and family welfare said in a statement.
All of these individuals have been kept in single room isolation in health care facilities designated by the respective state governments. His close contacts have also been quarantined.
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A full contact tracing has been started for fellow travelers, family contacts, and others. Genome sequencing is currently being carried out on other samples.
From November 25 to midnight December 23, 2020, approximately 33,000 passengers disembarked at various Indian airports from the UK.
All these passengers are being tracked and subjected by the states to RT-PCR tests to detect Covid-19.
Of all the samples tested, 114 samples have tested positive for Covid-19 so far. These positive samples have been sent to 10 Insacog laboratories (NIBMG Kolkata, ILS Bhubaneswar, NIV Pune, CCS Pune, CCMB Hyderabad, CDFD Hyderabad, InSTEM Bengaluru, NIMHANS Bengaluru, IGIB Delhi, NCDC Delhi) for genome sequencing.
“The situation is under careful surveillance and regular advice is being provided to states to improve surveillance, containment, testing, and sending samples to Insacog laboratories,” the Health Ministry statement further said.
Denmark, Holland, Australia, Italy, Sweden, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Japan, Lebanon and Singapore have already reported the presence of the new UK variant so far.
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