Siblings test positive for South African Covid-19 variant in Ballari

BALLARI: Two siblings who had recently returned from Dubai have tested positive for the South African variant of coronavirus. This is the second such case in Karnataka after a similar strain was found in a patient from Shivamogga.

The district administration has confirmed that the strain is similar to that of the South African variant of Covid-19 and the same has been certified by a government agency in Bengaluru. The patients, brother and sister who reached Ballari on February 17 took their test after three days as they complained of illness. 

The doctors from the health department said that there is not much difference between the variants of Covid-19 whether it's from the UK or South Africa. "But the patients who have the variant of South Africa are seen to have higher fewer than those infected by the regular Covid19 virus. The siblings are currently under home isolation in Ballari and their condition is stable," said a health official.

"The siblings had got tested in Dubai airport before travelling but their results came negative. After they got a high fever, three days after they arrived in India they came for a test. The samples were studied by the experts in Bengaluru and the administration was notified about the variant being from South Africa," the official added.

The officials noted that since the past one week the numbers of Covid-19 cases are increasing in the district. There have been cases from various agencies and industries. The administration has now decided to increase the Covid19 testing for better handling of the pandemic.