On Monday, Kerala recorded six cases of new UK Covid-19 strain in six United Kingdom returnees, said Health Minister KK Shailaja in a special press briefing.
The Health Minister informed that the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune found the new strain in two people of a Kozhikode family, two of an Alappuzha family and one from Kottayam and Kannur. The infected are have been kept in isolation. “All six have been kept in single room isolation at designated hospitals. Close contacts of the infected have been sent into quarantine,” Shailaja says.
Shailaja has asked the public to remain vigil of the new strain as it has a higher rate of transmission and is highly infectious. “There is nothing to worry about. The government has the situation under control,” Shailaja said.
The Health Minister reiterated that the public must follow the government’s Covid-19 directives, social distancing norms, must continue to wear masks and must use sanitizers. She added that testing at four international airports in the state has been increased. Currently, India has 38 Covid-19 cases related to the new strain.