BackNew Covid variant: In Delhi, house-to-house check-up for passengers arriving from UK
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said all passengers arriving from the UK are now being tested for coronavirus at the Delhi airport'We will go house-to-house and do check-up of passengers to assess their condition,' Jain said
PremiumAmid rising concern over a new strain of coronavirus detected in the United Kingdom, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government has said that it will check the health condition of passengers, who have arrived here recently from the UK, by visiting their houses.
While speaking to reporters, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said all passengers arriving from the UK are now being tested for coronavirus at the Delhi airport.
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"The Delhi government is on alert in the wake of a mutated coronavirus strain detected in the UK. The situation is being closely monitored and mandatory tests are being conducted at the Delhi airport for all passengers arriving from that country," Jain said.
The Delhi Health Minister said the national capital has fought difficult battles with Covid-19 and all efforts will be made to ensure that the improvement made in the management of the novel coronavirus pandemic is "not reversed".
In the last two weeks, about 6,000 to 7,000 people have landed at Delhi airport, many of whom would have travelled to other places like Punjab from thereon, Jain said.
"We will go house-to-house and do check-up of passengers to assess their condition, and also advice them to isolate themselves for some time," Jain said.
The development comes after five out of 266 passengers from the UK tested positive for coronavirus on their arrival in Delhi. Their samples have been sent to the National Centre for Disease Control for research and they have been sent to care centres, a nodal officer for Covid-19 has said.
As per reports, passengers coming from the UK are being administered RT-PCR tests at the airport. Anyone testing negative but with symptoms will be kept in institutional isolation and those testing negative will also be asked to go into self-isolation for seven days, they said.
Jain has also appealed to those who have recently come from the UK to monitor their health and go for tests at the slightest of Covid-like symptoms, and inform the government.
Asked about the threat of the new virus strain entering Delhi, he said, "CM Kejriwal had appealed to the Centre to close flights from the UK, and it had been done. So, we are doing everything possible to contain the spread".
A new vaccine is being prepared to treat Covid-19, he said.
Asked if the new strain could negate its efficacy, he said, "Only scientists and ICMR can comment on it".
India has banned flights from the UK, however, will come into effect only from Wednesday, and will last till 31 December. Till then, the government has said, all passengers arriving from the UK will be tested on arrival at airports.
Meanwhile, Delhi recorded 803 fresh cases of COVID-19 on Monday, the lowest since August 17, taking the tally to over 6.17 lakh, even as the death toll increased to 10,304 with 27 new fatalities.
"We recorded such a low number of cases and a positivity rate of 1.29%," Jain said.
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