Health Official Confirmed First Case Of 'XE' Variant In Kerala Before A Month

Concerns have been raised after a 21-year-old man from Kollam was suspected of being infected with Covid XE, a mutant version of the new coronavirus. The Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology had validated the mutation in the samples of the youth gathered a month ago, according to a senior health official in Kollam, making it the first such case in Kerala, reported The New Indian Express.

The state health agency, on the other hand, has yet to publish an official comment. The youth has made a full recovery.

According to the district health authority, so far, no cases of secondary infection have been reported. The teen had no travel history and had never met a Covid patient. To prevent a possible spread, the health service has enhanced surveillance in the district.

According to the official, it has ordered government hospitals to keep track of patients who have a temperature, a cold, or are having problems breathing. DNA samples of people will be submitted for comprehensive analysis from areas reporting a higher number of instances.

The official stated that this is a one-month-old case, and the patient is doing fine. They took samples from all of his contacts and analysed them, but no subsequent instances were discovered. While testing of persons returning from overseas has been stepped up, and they have been ordered to stay in quarantine, no quarantine has been enforced on those arriving from other countries.

The official added that if any overseas passenger with Covid symptoms tests positive, their sample is sent to be sequenced immediately. If one of them tests positive, all of their contacts will be checked. According to the health officer, all PHCs and CHCs in the districts have been instructed to report patients with influenza and acute respiratory infection symptoms. The number of such patients is high, we would randomly collect samples for Covid tests.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, nine Covid instances were detected in Kollam, out of 1,000 samples analysed. The officer added that in the event of any adverse incidence, all preventive steps have been implemented in the district. Since the beginning of April, the state has reported roughly 200 Covid instances.