Two more UK returnees test Covid-19 positive on Sunday

Hyderabad: Two more individuals who have arrived here from the United Kingdom after December 9 have tested positive for Covid-19.

With this, the total number of UK travellers who tested positive for Covid has reached 20, Director of Public Health (DPH) Dr G Srinivasa Rao said on Sunday.

The samples of all the 20 individuals have been sent to Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) for genome sequencing to ascertain whether they are infected by the new strain B 1.1.7 of coronavirus or the conventional one. The Covid positive patients were admitted to various government hospitals and their health status is being closely monitored.

Out of the 20 individuals who tested Covid positive, four travellers were from Hyderabad, eight from Medchal-Malkajgiri district, two from Jagitiyal and one each from Mancherial, Nalgonda, Rangareddy, Sangareddy, Siddipet and



Warangal urban.

So far, the surveillance teams of the Health Department have managed to identify 1,216 individuals who have travelled from the UK to Telangana after December 9. 

According to Health Department, 92 travellers were from other States and details related of them have been shared with surveillance teams in those States. The department said another 154 travellers from the UK who reached Telangana were yet to be traced.

“Individuals who have travelled to Telangana after December 9 from the UK can contact our helpline numbers. Our teams will make home visits, collect samples and provide treatment if needed. We are waiting for the release of the genome sequencing samples from CCMB,” Dr Srinivasa Rao said.