Odisha: Swab tests of UK returnees have been sent for RT-PCR testing

Berhampur (Odisha): The swab samples of the United Kingdom returnees to Berhampur city have been sent for RT-PCR test. Of the 43 persons who had returned to Odisha from the UK since December 7, three are from Berhampur.

Of the three, a 34-year-old male from Sriramnagar area had arrived on December 11, while a 44-year-old male of Dharmanagar had returned on December 17.

Similarly, a 38-year-old woman from Kamapali area in the city had arrived home on December 18.

While one of the returnees have already tested negative, samples of two others were collected on Friday. In the last one month, around 21 persons have returned to the city from the UK.

In Ganjam district's administration, repeatedly precautionary measures were put in place when the virus was being fought during the first phase outbreak. Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange said that there was no need to panic, however, people should be vigilant.

"We have to follow precautionary measures at least till a vaccine is rolled out," he said.

The new strain is suspected to have reached some parts of India including Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra. In order to prevent a possible outbreak of the mutated strain, people will have to remain extra cautious.

Meanwhile, Ganjam has reported five positive cases during the last 24 hours, taking the count to a new high of 21,792. Of them, 21,514 have recovered from the disease and 24 are undergoing treatment. The virus has so far claimed 246 lives in the district.

According to earlier reports, a four-year-old girl child had tested positive for COVID-19 who was a UK returnee to Odisha.

A 24-year-old male who had arrived in Bhubaneswar from the UK on December 18 had also tested positive for COVID-19. His swab sample had been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune for genome sequencing to ascertain whether he has been infected with the new mutant strain of COVID-19 defected in the UK.

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