38 people in India test positive for UK variant of COVID-19

New Delhi [India], January 4 (ANI): A total of 38 samples have been found to be positive with the new UK variant genome of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, confirmed the Health Ministry on Monday.
"Ten patients are admitted at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences, Bangalore, three are admitted at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, five in the National Institute of Virology, Pune, 11 in Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, 8 in NCDC, New Delhi and one in NCBG, Kolkata," said the release issued by the Ministry.
"The positive samples are being tested at 10 Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortia (INSACOG) labs (NIBMG Kolkata, ILS Bhubaneswar, NIV Pune, NCCS Pune, CCMB Hyderabad, CDFD Hyderabad, InSTEM Bengaluru, NIMHANS Bengaluru, IGIB Delhi, NCDC Delhi) for genome sequencing," it stated.
These persons have been kept in single room isolation in designated Health Care facilities by respective state governments and their close contacts have also been put under quarantine.
"Comprehensive contact tracing has been initiated for co-travellers, family contacts, and others. Genome sequencing on other specimens is going on. The situation is under careful watch and regular advice is being provided to the states for enhanced surveillance, containment, testing and dispatch of samples to INSACOG labs," it added.
As per the experts, the new COVID-19 strain is more transmissible than other SARS-CoV-2 variants.
On January 2, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said India has successfully isolated and cultured the UK-variant of Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease.

It is to mention that no other country has yet reported successful isolation and culture of the UK-variant of SARS-CoV-2, the ICMR informed. (ANI)