Government Panel To Look Into New Covid-19 Strain

As panic about the resurgence of Covid-19 grips Telangana following the emergence of a new strain of the virus in the UK and after about 1,200 people reportedly came to the state from there since December 9, the state government today constituted an expert committee to look into the potential threat posed by the import of the new strain.

Health Minister Etela Rajender held a crucial meeting with the committee, comprising Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology Director Rakesh Mishra, Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences Vice Chancellor Karunakar Reddy, Indian Institute Of Chemical Technology Director Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences professor T Gangadhar, and Health Management and Research Institute CEO Balaji, at the BRKR Bhavan to discuss how the new strain could affect the state.

The minister asked the committee to study the possibilities of the spreading of the virus through people coming from the UK and other European countries.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao also spoke to the committee members and the health officials of the state separately and directed them to prevent the spread of the virus through rigorous testing.

Of the 1,200 persons who came to Telangana from the UK, 800 are GHMC residents, 16 people are from Karimnagar district, and 12 are from Adilabad district.

The officials have tested 864 people so far, of whom seven have tested positive.