3 UK returnees found positive for new coronavirus variant in Karnataka, state starts tracing co-passengers

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 29 : In a view of the new strain of coronavirus cases in United Kingdom returnees, Karnataka Health Minister Dr Sudhakar K on Tuesday said that they will trace co-passengers and treatment will be done if needed.
A total number of three cases of the new variant of coronavirus has been reported on Tuesday in Karnataka, Health Minister said. "The co-passengers on the flight will also be traced. We are seeking their reports from the Civil Aviation Department. We will trace, test, and treat them as well if needed," Sudhakar K added.
A total of six people who returned to India from the UK have been found positive for the new variant coronavirus genome. The Union Health Minister stated that samples of three UK returnees have been tested and found positive for new UK strain in NIMHANS, Bengaluru, two in Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad and one in National Institute of Virology, Pune.
According to the Union Health Ministry, between November 25 and December 23, about 33,000 passengers disembarked at various Indian airports from the UK. All these passengers are being tracked and subjected by States and Union Territories to RT-PCR tests.