‘S’ gene drop in Sweden-return duo

A RT-PCR sample collection booth at the airport in Chennai | Ashwin Prasath
A RT-PCR sample collection booth at the airport in Chennai | Ashwin Prasath

COIMBATORE: A couple with a travel history of Sweden who arrived in Coimbatore in the third week of December tested positive for Covid-19. Sources in health department said the couple had 'S' gene drop, which indicates that they might be affected by the Omicron variant.

According to sources, the couple — a 41-year-old man and his 36-year-old wife — arrived at Coimbatore International Airport from Sweden via New Delhi on December 12. After their samples rendered a negative result, the health department isolated them at their house. The second sample was collected on the eighth day of isolation which yielded a positive result. While the woman was admitted to ESI Hospital, sources said her husband is admitted to Government Medical College in Idukki, Kerala.

When asked why the man was admitted to Kerala hospital, sources said he left Coimbatore after completing his seven-day home isolation after the health staff collected his second sample. He, however, was asked to get admitted to the health facility in the concerned district in Kerala by informing his sample tested positive for the infection.

"The man cooperated with us and got admitted to the hospital in Kerala. He went there for some work and we are tracking his condition," said an official.

City Health Officer Sathish Kumar told TNIE that samples of the couple were sent to the State Public Health Laboratory (SPHL) in Chennai for Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) as they had 'S' gene drop.

Sathish said both the couple were asymptomatic and their condition is stable. Until now, six international travellers have tested positive for the viral infection in Coimbatore — among them two travellers' samples had no 'S' gene, he said, adding that sample having no 'S' gene could also be an alpha variant of the SARS-CoV-2.

"The six travellers were from Singapore, Czech Republic, Germany, UK, and Sweden. We have also collected samples from their close contacts," he added.

Currently, 786 international travellers are undergoing home isolation. Among them, 27 people are likely to undergo the the second RT-PCR test on Friday.

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