The new mutated strain of the Corona Virus, has been wreaking havoc, like a sequel to the earlier COVID-19 nightmare! This new strain, which has been identified in the United Kingdom, is said to be spreading 70% faster than the original Virus and just like at the beginning of the Pandemic, there is not much information on the new strain of the Virus. However, responding almost immediately to the surge in the UK, over 40 countries, immediately suspended travel to and from the United Kingdom. However, despite all these measures, the new strain of the corona virus, has spread to a number of other countries and has been identified in a number of other places. India has also found the new strain of the Corona Virus in a number of travellers who have returned from the UK, in the recent past!

There have been a number of cases of passengers who have returned from the UK, testing positive for the Corona Virus, as the testing has been made mandatory at the airports for all international passengers. Now, shockingly 8 people from Kerala, who returned from the UK, have tested positive for the Corona Virus. The four international airports in Kerala, are under tight surveillance and they have been further strengthened in recent times. Talking about these recent findings, the Kerala Health Minister has stated that the samples of these 8 infected passengers has been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, for further analysis. The NIV is expected to conduct Genome Analysis on these samples.

The central as well as state governments have brought in strict measures like mandatory RT-PCR testing and institutional quarantine, apart from contact tracing, for all passengers who have returned from the UK, as well as other European countries, in the recent past. Just a couple of days back, a Maharashtra woman who returned from the UK and tested positive for the Corona Virus, escaped from the authorities and tried to get to her hometown in Vijayawada, by train. Thankfully, the authorities identified her and have now placed her in isolation in a government hospital. Unfortunately, it is still not clear as to how many people she came in contact with on the train and whether she has spread the infection to them.