As India steps up research to control the spread of a new coronavirus mutant strain, first identified in the United Kingdom in September, the Pune Civic Entity released a video appeal to track more than 100 travelers returning from the United Kingdom before 22 December.
Also, the Pune Municipal Corporation requested the city police to assist them. The appeal of the civic body comes as India’s count of patients infected with the mutant strain – thought to be considerably more contagious – grew to 20 this morning.
“I want to appeal to all the residents of Pune who have returned from the UK to please contact us. We’ve not been able to trace 109 UK travelers because of incorrect contact details,” Rubal Agarwal, Additional Municipal Commissioner, Pune, is heard saying in a nearly one-minute long clip shared with NDTV.
“We’re not going to place you under institutional quarantine, all these people landed before December 22 and they were supposed to quarantine for seven days. I appeal to you that 10 days have already passed after your arrival… so please get in touch with us and update us if you’re experiencing any symptoms,” she adds.
Some of the travelers landed in Mumbai and arrived by road in Pune. Although the contact-tracing team of the PMC tried to reach them, they remained untraceable, the civic organization said.
According to the PMC’s guidelines, all passengers arriving from West Asian and European countries have to undergo mandatory institutional quarantine at their own cost in nearby hotels in the city for seven days.
The genome sequencing of the latest Sars-CoV-2 mutant found in the UK has been initiated by a consortium of 10 government labs. Of the 20 causes of the mutant strain, one case has been reported so far by a Pune lab. At a Delhi laboratory, eight samples tested positive, and seven at a laboratory in Bengaluru.
The temporary UK travel ban has been extended by India until January 7. This morning, the country’s tally soared to 1,02,44,852 cases.
