December 28, 2020. Authorities in Andhra Pradesh said as many as four contacts of UK-returned Covid-19 positive persons have tested positive for the coronavirus in the state. Several countries, including India, restricted travel to and from the UK after the island nation detected a new mutant variant of the novel coronavirus

Authorities in Andhra Pradesh said as many as four contacts of UK-returned Covid-19 positive persons have tested positive for the coronavirus in the state. Several countries, including India, restricted travel to and from the UK after the island nation detected a new mutant variant of the novel coronavirus.

Since restrictions came into effect, as many as 1,216 people returned to Andhra Pradesh from the UK. Out of these, six in East Godavari, Krishna Anantapuramu, Guntur and SPS Nellore Districts tested positive for Covid-19.

Authorities have also managed to trace 3,282 contacts of the UK-returnees out of which four were found positive for the virus.

In addition, three contacts of their contacts in Guntur and one in Nellore also contracted the virus, Health Commissioner Katamaneni Bhaskar told news agency PTI.

Officials in Andhra Pradesh have managed to trace 1,187 of the 1,216 UK-returnees. As many as 1,162 of them have been placed in a mandatory 14-day quarantine. Efforts are underway to trace the remaining 29 UK-returnees.

Health Commissioner Katamaneni Bhaskar added, “We are awaiting results from the NIV, Pune, and CCMB, Hyderabad, to verify if the positives had the new Covid-19 strain or not.”