LUCKNOW: As many as eight of the 609
UK returnees tracked and tested in Uttar Pradesh have tested positive to
Covid-19. However, the strain of the pandemic infection in them is yet to be identified.
“The government of India had provided a list of 1,655 persons who had returned from or via the United Kingdom to the state. Of these, 1,087 have been tracked while 609 have been tested of whom eight were found to be positive,” said additional chief secretary, health and family welfare, Amit Mohan Prasad on Saturday.
He said that the samples of these persons had been sent for genome sequencing. “It is not clear whether the old or mutant strain caused Covid-19 in them. Therefore, their samples have been sent for genome sequencing. The report is expected soon,” he stated.
According to health sources, three each of these patients are from Meerut while two each are from Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar districts. Those from Meerut had travelled to London and came back to India on December 14. The travel history of others was not revealed.
Sources confirmed that the samples had been sent to CSIR’s Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi.
Additional Chief Secretary, health, Prasad also said that seven of the eight positive persons were undergoing treatment in
UP at the special international ward set up by the state health department while one was under treatment in New Delhi (Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital).
Officials expressed concern over lack of support from some of these returnees who have switched off their phones.
“Several districts have reported that the returnees have switched off their phones which is not good. The state government is getting them tested in their individual interest besides ensuring the well-being of everyone else. They must come forward and cooperate in public interest,” said Navneet Sehgal, ACS, information and public relations department, UP.
Meanwhile, 1102 new cases took the state's tally to 5,81,080 on Saturday. Of these, 5,56,912 have recovered while 8,293 have succumbed to the infection. Health officials said that UP’s recovery rate had reached 95.8%.