Two foreign-returnees in TN test positive for Covid-19; samples sent for sequencing

Two persons, including a 10-year-old, who arrived from Singapore and Britain, classified as “high risk” countries in Chennai and Tiruchirappalli airports have tested positive for the novel Coronavirus and their samples have been sent for genomic sequencing to check whether they have been infected with Omicron variant.

While the 10-year-old arrived in Chennai from Britain along with her family members, the other passenger landed in Tiruchirappalli from Singapore on Friday morning.

Passengers in three rows of the flights and the cabin crew have been tested.

While the child’s family is under isolation, the young patient has been admitted to the King’s Hospital, one of the designated Covid-19 hospitals run by the state government.

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“The two have tested positive for Covid-19. We do not know as yet what variant they have been infected with. We have sent their samples for genomic sequencing to the State Testing Laboratory in Chennai and to Bengaluru,” Health Minister Ma Subramanian said.

He refuted reports on one person from the state testing positive for the Omicron variant and asked people to refrain from spreading rumours, especially on social media. At the same vein, the Health Minister said the government will be “absolutely transparent” in announcing the results the moment it is available.

The development comes a day after two persons were tested positive for Omicron variant of Covid-19 in Karnataka. While one had a travel history, the other is a government doctor who did not have any travel history.

Tamil Nadu government has made elaborate arrangements at Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore, and Madurai airports to test passengers arriving from “high risk” nations. The state government has also appointed nodal officers for all four airports to liaison with airport authorities to test the passengers.

When it was pointed out by reporters that the cost of an RT-PCR test at the airport was high, Subramanian said the state government will foot the bill for the test for those who cannot afford to pay the amount collected at the airport.

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