New COVID-19 Strain: 62 UK Returnees Untraceable In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government, which has taken expeditious steps to conduct RT-PCR test and genome sequencing of the people who have recently returned from the United Kingdom, is concerned over the whereabouts of 62 returnees.

Public Health Director, Niranjan Mishra told the media on Monday that a total of 181 persons had returned from the UK to Odisha between November 30 and December 21. Of these, the Health Department has conducted the RT-PCR test of 119 persons of which 6 have tested positive for COVID-19. However, the remaining 62 returnees are still untraceable.

“While the Health Department is trying to contact them over the phone, there is no response. Even these returnees are not available at the place of their stay,” Mishra said.

Stating that there is no need to panic as these 62 UK returnees have completed their quarantine period, he said had anyone of them tested positive for the virus, their gene sequencing would have been conducted.

It may be mentioned that following the spread of a mutated strain of SARs-CoV-2 in the UK, the Central government has directed the states to take adequate precautions and conduct the RTPCR test and genome sequencing of all UK returnees.

Also Read: Govt Orders Genome Sequencing Of 43 UK Returnees To Odisha