BENGALURU: Samples of 12 international passengers, who have tested positive during the screening at Kempegowda International Airport, have been sent for genomic sequencing, whose results are expected after a week or so. This includes the sample of a passenger who had arrived from China.
Only after the results come out from Indian Sars-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), it can be confirmed if the sample has a highly transmissible BF.7 variant that is driving the spread in China or throw up any new variant of concern (VOC), sources from the state’s health department said.
“Usually, INSACOG takes around 7-10 working days to test samples and send reports,” the source said. Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar tweeted that in the month of December (till 24th), 2,867 passengers were tested at KIA, of whom 12 have tested positive.
“Looking at China’s position and our experience in the past, we have to take proactive measures, which the state government is doing. They have accepted the recommendations of the TAC and have been taking Covid containment measures,” said Dr M K Sudarshan, Chairman of the Covid-19 TAC.: