A total of 20 people who returned to India from the United Kingdom have tested positive for the new coronavirus variant so far.

On December 29, the Centre said that six UK returnees have been found to be positive with the new UK variant genome.

The samples of all passengers who tested positive after flying from the UK are being sent to laboratories for genome sequencing. Flights from the UK were banned from December 23 till December 31. 
 
"All these persons have been kept in single room isolation in designated Health Care facilities by respective State Governments. Their close contacts have also been put under quarantine. Comprehensive contact tracing has been initiated for co-travellers, family contacts and others. Genome sequencing on other specimens is going on," the Union Health ministry said in an official statement.

The situation is under careful watch and regular advice is being provided to the States for enhanced surveillance, containment, testing and dispatch of samples to INSACOG labs, said the ministry.

There is no evidence to suggest that current vaccines will fail to protect against the SARS-CoV-2 mutants reported from the UK or South Africa, the government said.

The new SARS-CoV-2 variant could be as much as 70 percent more transmissible, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. However, it is not yet known if the mutation causes a more severe version of the disease.

The presence of the new UK variant has already been reported by Denmark, Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Sweden, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Japan, Lebanon and Singapore, so far.

(With inputs from agencies)

A total of 20 people who returned to India from the United Kingdom have tested positive for the new coronavirus variant so far. On December 29, the Centre said that six UK returnees have been found to be positive with the new UK variant genome.

A total of 20 people who returned to India from the United Kingdom have tested positive for the new coronavirus variant so far. On December 29, the Centre said that six UK returnees have been found to be positive with the new UK variant genome. The samples of all passengers who tested positive after flying from the UK are being sent to laboratories for genome sequencing. Flights from the UK were banned from December 23 till December 31. "All these persons have been kept in single room isolation in designated Health Care facilities by respective State Governments. Their close contacts have also been put under quarantine. Comprehensive contact tracing has been initiated for co-travellers, family contacts and others. Genome sequencing on other specimens is going on," the Union Health ministry said in an official statement. The situation is under careful watch and regular advice is being provided to the States for enhanced surveillance, containment, testing and dispatch of samples to INSACOG labs, said the ministry. There is no evidence to suggest that current vaccines will fail to protect against the SARS-CoV-2 mutants reported from the UK or South Africa, the government said. The new SARS-CoV-2 variant could be as much as 70 percent more transmissible, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. However, it is not yet known if the mutation causes a more severe version of the disease. The presence of the new UK variant has already been reported by Denmark, Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Sweden, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Japan, Lebanon and Singapore, so far. (With inputs from agencies)

UK mutant strain in India: Total 20 test positive for new Covid variant

Britan on Tuesday registered a new daily high of more than 53,000 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-britain-will-struggle-to-recover-from-its-botched-coronavirus-response-353226">COVID-19</a> cases even as the country carries out its vaccination campaign.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-theatre-group-puts-on-panto-in-a-carpark-amid-pandemic-353214/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to government data, 53,135 people tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours with a total of 2,382,865 infected cases.

There have been over 71,100 fatalities in the UK which is the second-worst in Europe even as over 24 million people remain in strict coronavirus lockdown.

On Monday, the number of coronavirus patients had hit a record 24-high of 41,385 cases.&nbsp;

NHS England figures showed there are more patients in the hospital in the country than during the initial peak in April.

According to official data, there are 20,426 coronavirus patients in the country's hospitals compared to 18,974 in April.

The UK government had announced the presence of new virus strain from South Africa two weeks ago raising fears of a renewed surge in COVID-19 cases.

NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens said: "We are back in the eye of the storm with a second wave of coronavirus sweeping Europe and, indeed, this country."

"We think that by late spring with vaccine supplies continuing to come on stream we will have been able to offer all vulnerable people across this country Covid vaccination, Stevens said, adding,"that perhaps provides the biggest chink of hope for the year ahead."

Reports say London and southeast England have the maximum number of coronavirus cases.

Britan on Tuesday registered a new daily high of more than 53,000 COVID-19 cases even as the country carries out its vaccination campaign. Watch: According to government data, 53,135 people tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours with a total of 2,382,865 infected cases.

Britan on Tuesday registered a new daily high of more than 53,000 COVID-19 cases even as the country carries out its vaccination campaign. Watch: According to government data, 53,135 people tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours with a total of 2,382,865 infected cases. There have been over 71,100 fatalities in the UK which is the second-worst in Europe even as over 24 million people remain in strict coronavirus lockdown. On Monday, the number of coronavirus patients had hit a record 24-high of 41,385 cases. NHS England figures showed there are more patients in the hospital in the country than during the initial peak in April. According to official data, there are 20,426 coronavirus patients in the country's hospitals compared to 18,974 in April. The UK government had announced the presence of new virus strain from South Africa two weeks ago raising fears of a renewed surge in COVID-19 cases. NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens said: "We are back in the eye of the storm with a second wave of coronavirus sweeping Europe and, indeed, this country." "We think that by late spring with vaccine supplies continuing to come on stream we will have been able to offer all vulnerable people across this country Covid vaccination, Stevens said, adding,"that perhaps provides the biggest chink of hope for the year ahead." Reports say London and southeast England have the maximum number of coronavirus cases.

UK reports new daily high of coronavirus cases amid spread of new virus strain

The Indian state Maharashtra government has announced partial lockdown in certain parts of Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur.

Coronavirus Outbreak: Maharashtra announces partial lockdown