5 more UK returnees test positive for new strain of coronavirus, total 25
A total of 25 cases of mutant United Kingdom virus have been detected in India after genome sequencing, Union Ministry of Health informed on Thuesday. Out of the five fresh cases, four have been traced by National Institute of Virology in Pune and CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology in Delhi. The infected individuals have been kept in physical isolation at state health facilities.
“A total of 25 cases of mutant United Kingdom virus detected in India after genome sequencing. Four new cases found by NIV, Pune and one new case sequenced in IGIB, Delhi. All 25 persons are in physical isolation at health facilities,” the health ministry official said, reported news agency ANI.
Speaking on the development, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said, "four patients have been found to be positive for the new strain of Coronavirus in Delhi. Flights have been banned and more passengers are not arriving. We are tracing and monitoring people who have already arrived."
The highly infectious mutant strain, which first surfaced in the United Kingdom in September, was found to have reached India with travellers returning from the European nation.
