New variant not here yet, checks up

New variant not here yet, checks up

Sushmi.Dey@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: 27.11.2021

No case of the new variant B.1.1.529 has been detected in India so far, health ministry sources said.

However, Hong Kong and Israel have been added to the existing list of “countries at risk”. Travellers from these countries will have to undergo additional checks and scrutiny, including post-arrival tests. Several other countries, including the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Singapore have already been categorised “countries at risk”.

The health ministry has urged states to ramp up surveillance and testing, particularly among international travellers and their contacts.

The Wmet on Friday to assess the new variant and to discuss whether to designate it as ‘variant of interest’ or ‘variant of concern’.

While many countries have tightened their borders due to the fear that the new variant could be the worst Covid-19 strain identified yet, with major public health implications, the UN health agency cautioned nations against hastily imposing travel restrictions.

WHO said it would take several weeks to determine the variant's transmissibility and effectiveness of vaccines and therapeutics against it.

Dharwad cases rise to 182

Authorities in Sattur of Karnataka’s Dharwad district closed schools and colleges on Friday and sanitised places within a 500-metre radius of SDM College of Medical Sciences as 116 students and faculty members tested positive for Covid, taking the number of infections to 182.

The outbreak was detected when 66 students reported positive on Tuesday and Wednesday, barely a week after 300 freshers and seniors attended a college event, reports Basavaraj Kattimani.

Deputy commissioner Nitesh Patil said the college management has been directed to close the outpatient department till Sunday.