Only 12 samples from Haryana found with UK variant strain

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 16

Amid unprecedented surge in Covid cases in the state, just 12 out of samples of 276 patients sent by Haryana for whole genome sequencing (WGS) have been found positive for the UK variant strain.

The samples were tested at National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Delhi.

Rajeev Arora, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Haryana, said that 10 of these patients are from Karnal while two others are from Gurugram. In Karnal district, three patients found positive for UK variant are from the city, two from Taraori and one each from villages Mohri Jagir, Rasulpur Kalan, Gheer, Jundla and Sainik School Kunjpura. Both cases of Gurugram are from Delhi.

“The details of these cases have been shared with officials of both the districts,” said Arora. The numbers of those found infected with UK variant strain is less than 5 per cent in sharp contrast with neighbouring Punjab and UT of Chandigarh where 80 per cent and 70 per cent respectively having been found with this strain.

Haryana has already recorded 51,277 new cases of Covid in the first 16 days of the current month – 13,838 cases in the first week of April (from April 1 to 7), 25,304 cases in the second week (from April 8 to 14) and 12,136 cases during the last two days on Thursday and Friday.