KANNUR: Eight people who had returned to Kerala from the UK have tested positive for COVID-19, said Health Minister KK Shailaja.
Speaking to reporters at Kannur on Saturday, she said tests will be carried out to find whether they were infected with the mutant strain of the virus being reported in the UK.
The samples of the eight people were sent to the National Institute of Virology at Pune for a detailed medical examination, said Shailaja.
Research being conducted in Kozhikode has shown that mutation of the virus has been happening in the state also, she said.
"Since we have not reached the stage of analysing the impact of the mutating virus, we would not be able to anticipate the chances of spread in the state," said the minister.