2 UK returnees test positive in Patiala, health department begins contact tracing

Tribune News Service

Patiala, December 22

Two returnees from the United Kingdom (UK) on Wednesday tested positive for Covid-19. The Health Department has sent their samples to genome sequencing lab at Government Medical College here to check for the new Omicron variant. Both positive patients have already been admitted to Government Mata Kaushalya Hospital.

The Health Department said that both the patients — mother (39) and daughter (12) — were asymptomatic. It has been learnt that four members of the family, residents of the UK, had returned to Dhablan village in the district on December 14. Although all had tested negative for Covid on their arrival at the Delhi Airport, they were again tested as per the protocol on the eighth day of arrival in the district, and two family members tested Covid-19 positive. It has been learnt that a high drama was witnessed at the village of the returnees when the Health Department tried to shift both the positive patients to the hospital. However, officials of the Health Department were successful in shifting both positives to Government Mata Kaushalya Hospital.

Confirming the development, the health officials said the Covid-19 positives were resisting their shifting to the hospital for quarantine. Dr Sumeet Singh, district epidemiologist, said, “We have already started contact tracing of the positive patients. All the contacts will be tested for the Covid.”

It has been learnt that a religious event had been going on at the residence of the positive patients which was scheduled to be concluded on Wednesday. The sources informed that the district administration and Health Department had a tough time to convince the family of the positives to cut down the number of people at the gathering from 500 to 80 after family members tested positive on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday

Patiala Civil Surgeon Dr Prince Sodhi said that around 2,293 international travellers had landed in the district in the month of December. Of 2,293, 298 have been from high-risk countries which have been notified by the Central Government. As many as 173 travellers are said to have already turned out to be negative for Covid. while the remaining would be tested in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Patiala on Wednesday reported eight positive cases, including two UK returnees.