No UK strain found in Odisha so far: Govt

Bhubaneswar: Amidst scare of new variant of Coronavirus, not a single person returned from the United Kingdom (UK) to Odisha was found to have carried the mutated strain so far, informed the Health & Family Welfare Department.

“The mutated strain of SARS-CoV-2 was not detected in any of samples in Odisha,” said Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra, Additional Chief Secretary, H&FW Department, today.

As per information, total six samples of UK returnees were sent to Pune and Delhi for genome sequencing. The test report received from Delhi showed that any of the samples was not carrying the UK strain.

The reports of three more samples sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, will reach within two to three days, informed Dr Sanghamitra Pati, Director of RMRC, Bhubaneswar.

A total of 188 persons have returned to Odisha from the UK, of which 179 have been traced by the State Health & Family Welfare Department.

Out of total samples of UK returnees and their contacts, seven have tested positive for COVID-19.

Of 7 new Coronavirus infectees, 4 have travel history of the UK and remaining 3 had come in contact with the returnees, Mohapatra informed.

Source said that total 204 UK returnees and their contacts have undergone RT-PCR test to detect Coronavirus. The Health department is trying to reach others, who are still untraceable after they returned to the State.