New Covid strain enters Maharashtra, 8 UK returnees test positive

The Maharashtra health department went into a tizzy as 8 passengers who recently returned from the UK were found infected with the new strain of Covid, officials said here on Monday.

State Health Minister Rajesh Tope made the grim announcement: "8 passengers returned from UK have been found positive for the new strain of Covid. 5 are from Mumbai and 2 from Mira Road and Bhayander towns in Thane and 1 from Pune."

The minister said that the process of contact tracing of these persons is underway, besides new protocols for their treatment even as Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray conducted a review meeting of the situation.

With 29 fatalities from only 7 out of the 36 districts recorded for the day, the state death toll has reached 49,695 and by adding 2,765 new patients, the total Covid-19 cases touched 19,47,011 till date.

The government in tune with the Centre's guidelines has already implemented stringent protocols for all passengers from UK, Middle East and certain other countries in a bid to avoid the new Covid strain carriers.