Mutant Coronavirus in India.
With the world enjoying the solace of successful rollout of Covid 19 vaccine, the pandemic is back, in a more catastrophic form than before. The United Kingdom has witnessed a new strain in coronavirus which is 70% more infectious and deadlier than the virus we encountered before. In view of safeguarding the health of citizens and preventing the outbreak of this new mutant, several countries have suspended flights to and from the United Kingdom including India. The spread of this mutant led to a strict lockdown in the United Kingdom which was immediately enforced on Saturday. However, after adopting the crucial and timely measures patients with this new strain of virus have arrived in Mumbai.
The number of air passengers, encumbering the new mutant virus have risen to 15 after landing of 3 flights in Mumbai Airport with 590 passengers from the UK. The patients with suspected infection were given immediate medical attention. Their blood samples were sent to top pathological institutions like National Institute of Virology for detailed analysis, as confirmed by a reliable source.
According to the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai on Tuesday 3 flights took over the runway of Mumbai Airport from the UK with 590 passengers. Passengers heading to out of state by road or having a flight connecting to other states have been permitted to depart for their destinations and information about the same has been transferred to their state representatives. Out of 590, 299 passengers have been shifted to hotels in the city allotted as Quarantine centres for suspected passengers. Among the passengers, 187 are from Mumbai, 167 from other parts of Maharashtra and 236 from other parts of India.
Taking an effective step to counter the surge of this virus, the Municipal Commissioner of Greater Mumbai, IS Chahal declared a seven days mandatory quarantine for all the passengers arriving from the UK and the ones displaying the symptoms would be hospitalised in Seven Hills Hospital. Moreover, the passengers landing from other European Countries need to follow a 14 day home quarantine and will be admitted to GT hospital in case of accelerated symptoms. In the meeting, designated in response to the inflow of this virus, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray mandated 14 day home quarantine for non European countries too.
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