India likely to extend suspension of flights from United Kingdom amid rampant spread of new Covid virus strain

KEY STORY

• New Delhi: After six people tested positive for the new strain of the Covid-19 virus in India, the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation on Tuesday hinted that it might extend the suspension imposed on flights from the United Kingdom – the epicenter of the new variant.

“I foresee a short extension on this temporary suspension. I don’t see the extension to be long or indefinite,” Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said when asked about the temporary suspension of flights from the United Kingdom due to the new variant of coronavirus.

• India had imposed a temporary suspension of flight operations from the United Kingdom after the country reported two new strains of the Covid-19 virus last week. However, though the Centre had imposed strict restrictions on all inbound passengers at all international airports across the country, the new variant of the deadly virus managed to breach our borders.

I foresee a short extension on this temporary suspension. I don't see the extension to be long or indefinite: Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on the temporary suspension of flights from the United Kingdom due to new variant of coronavirus pic.twitter.com/j4Xsl1G40m

— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2020

“All international passengers who have arrived in India during the last 14 days (from December 9-22), if symptomatic and tested positive will be subjected to genome sequencing in view of the new Covid-19 strain in the United Kingdom,” the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

According to UK Health secretary Matt Hancock, the new variant is “more contagious” than the prevalent strain.

“We’ve discovered a new more contagious virus, a variant that is spreading at a dangerous rate. Today we’re announcing further action within the tiering system,” Hancock had said last week.

CONCLUSION

• According to the Union Health Ministry, the samples in which the UK variant genome of SARS-CoV-2 was detected were tested at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences Hospital (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru (three samples), the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad (two) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune (one).

• The six people who tested positive for the mutated form of the virus have been kept in isolation in a single room at designated health care centres by their respective state governments. All their close contacts have also been placed under quarantine.

“Comprehensive contact tracing has been initiated for co-travellers, family contacts and others. Genome sequencing on other specimens is going on. The situation is under careful watch and regular advice is being provided to the states for enhanced surveillance, containment, testing and dispatch of samples to INSACOG labs,” the Union Health Ministry said in a statement.