Nagpur: A 28-year-old man in Nagpur who tested positive for COVID-19 on December 15 is suspected of carrying the new strain of COVID-19 found in the United Kingdom, the Government Medical College government said on Thursday with.
According to Dr. Avinash Gawande, Superintendent of Nagpur Government Medical College, the patient who returned from the UK on November 29 was tested on arrival at the airport but was found negative for COVID-19 at that time.
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“After seven days, he said he was showing symptoms and complained about the loss of smell. He was tested again for COVID-19 at the Nandanvan Public Health Clinic (PHC) and his rapid antigen test was done on December 15th,” said Dr. Gawande.
His RT-PCR test was done on Tuesday and he tested positive on Wednesday. The patient’s swab samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, for further evaluation, the official said.
“We don’t know if it’s the old or the new mutant (of the virus). He has mild symptoms and has been moved to another ward at Government Medical College and Hospital here as a precaution,” he said.
Three to four family members of the person were also tested. They will be quarantined and monitored at home, the mayor said.
He appealed to people with a recent history of travel to the UK and Europe to come forward and get tested.
In the meantime, India has temporarily suspended flight operations between India and the UK until December 31, 2020.
On December 20, Prime Minister Boris Johnson informed the public that a new variant of the COVID-19 virus had been found in the UK.
“Given the early evidence we have of this new variant of the virus and the potential risk it poses, it is with a heavy heart that I have to tell you that we cannot continue Christmas as planned,” he tweeted.