The director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, Dr Randeep Guleria, while speaking to ANI mentioned that the latest strain of COVID-19 emanating from the UK could be 70% more infectious than the original virus and could also spread even faster, which is why a number of things had been put in place by the government with regard to flights from UK, setting of the consortium to find out if this strain had affected anyone from India.
"COVID-19 had undergone certain changes and mutations at various places. Reason of concern with the UK strain is that pre-epidemiological data showed it was more infectious and spreads more rapidly as far as disease is concerned," said Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS Delhi.
While speaking to ANI, Dr. Guleria had said, "It's hard to trace if UK strain was already there before it was first reported in the month of December in India. But, there are chances that the new strain had entered India much before December, as we know that this strain was first reported in end of September and there were people who had been previously infected with this strain in the UK.
But the positive aspect of this situation is that India is currently in a very good position in terms of decline of daily new cases and fatality rate, and the increase in recovery rate.
"In case there is an increase in a number of COVID-19 cases (due to UK strain), we'll be able to take action," said Dr Guleria.
