HYDERABAD: Officials from the Health Department are on high alert after a BA.4 case was detected in the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the school on May 26 for its annual day function. Though the BA.4 case was detected and informed to the Government of Telangana after the patient recovered and returned to his country (South Africa), officials are leaving no stone unturned and testing all primary and secondary contacts.
The patient left India on May 16 and surveillance measures were put in place on May 18 after the GoI informed the State government about the same. It is learnt that airport surveillance failed to inform the patient and ISB about the test reports being positive. Eventually, as genome sequencing took nearly eight days, State officials received information only on May 18, possibly after the patient recovered.
“One person was trained directly by the said patient and there were four others who were room boys and hospitality handlers who have tested negative both in RAT and RT-PCR tests. We are still monitoring them to be safe,” said an official.
It is further learnt that on Sunday, a high-level security meeting with Centre officials will be held with State officials on how to go about with the Covid-19 surveillance to prevent any kind of outbreak as this variant is said to be the fastest spreading Omicron sub-variant.
GHMC to sanitise ISB, conduct tests
“GHMC will be handling all kinds of sanitation needs. We will be conducting RAT testing surveillance along with fever surveillance of all those going to be part of the PM visit. We are awaiting further instructions from the Central team,” said a senior official.
Meanwhile, even though BA.4 is faster, it has very low morbidity and causes very low mortality implying that while one may be positive for the infection they may not be “sick and diseased”. Currently, it is seen primarily in the European continent. It was first detected in South Africa in January 2022.
weak vigil?
The patient left India on May 16 and surveillance measures were put in place on May 18
Airport surveillance failed to inform the patient and ISB about the test reports
High-level meeting with Centre officials on Sunday