Bhubaneswar: The newly discovered COVID-19 mutant strain has not been found among the travellers who returned to Odisha from the United Kingdom, informed Additional Chief Secretary (Health Department) PK Mohapatra.
Mohapatra said that all the UK returnees to the State have been traced. Besides, swab samples of ones who tested positive for COVID-19 were sent to various laboratories for genome sequencing.
Odisha Health & Family Welfare Department on Thursday said that no mutated strain of coronavirus was found in any of the returnees from the United Kingdom or their immediate contacts.
“The mutated strain of SARS-CoV-2 was not detected in any of samples in Odisha,” said the department’s Additional Chief Secretary.
A total of 204 UK returnees and their contacts have undergone RT-PCR test. The department is trying to reach out to others, who are still untraceable after they returned. It may be noted here that only 7 UK returnees have tested positive for Covid-19 so far in the State.
