India Reports 6 New Cases Of Mutant COVID Strain From UK, Hundreds Of UK Returnees Untraceable

India has detected six cases of mutant COVID-19 strain which is wreaking havoc in the UK. The new strain is believed to be 70 per cent more infectious, but doctors believe it could be controlled by a vaccine.

All six patients have recently returned from the UK, where cases have spiralled within days.

According to a report, three patients are in NIMHANS, Bengaluru, two in Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Hyderabad and one in National Institute of Virology, Pune.

BCCL

All six patients have been kept in "single room isolation" in designated healthcare facilities by the state governments.

The authorities said rigorous contact tracing is being carried out and close contacts of those infected have been put under quarantine.

Around 33,000 passengers arrived from the UK between November 25 and December 23.

Reuters

Meanwhile, hundreds of UK returnees are untraceable in different parts of the country. In Telangana, at least 279 passengers who recently returned from the UK are untraceable. According to the Telangana Police 184 returnees had given wrong phone numbers and addresses.

In Jaipur, 20 UK returnees are untraceable, while in Odisha, 62 people who have returned from the UK are missing.