Covid positive woman from UK escapes Delhi, reaches Andhra via Vizag train

Setting alarm bells ringing, a woman, who tested positive for Covid-19 after returning from the UK, managed to escape the Delhi airport and reach Andhra Pradesh via the New Delhi-Vizag special train.

Reportedly, the woman arrived in Delhi from the UK on 21 December. Following the mandate from the central government, in wake of the discovery of the new strain of coronavirus, the officials at the Delhi airport collected her swabs for the Covid-19 test. However, before the results could come in, she reportedly left the airport and proceeded to Rajahmundry in the New Delhi-Vizag AP Express, Times of India reported. With the test result eventually turning out to be positive, the health officials alerted the authorities in Rajahmundry.

Acting on the information received, the East Godavari district administration shifted the woman to the isolation ward at a government hospital in Rajahmundry. Her samples will be sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, to detect if she has been infected by the new strain of coronavirus.

The possibility of the woman coming in contact with other passengers on board, over the course of her journey from New Delhi to Rajahmundry, is raising concerns among health officials. Reportedly, the officials are looking to trace the individuals who might have come into contact with the person in question. While it is yet to be known if the woman tested positive for the new strain of coronavirus, officials said that no chance can be taken given the current scenario.

Recently, the Andhra Pradesh government announced that efforts will be made to trace, test, and quarantine UK returnees to the state. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy too directed the officials to stay alert amid fears surrounding the new strain of coronavirus. Earlier this week, the Indian government temporarily suspended all UK flights until 31 December.