China-returnee tests positive for Covid in Agra, sample sent for genome sequencing

A 40-year-old China returnee tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Agra Dr AK Srivastava confirmed to the media. His sample has been sent for genome sequencing. The man is asymptomatic and is isolated at his residence in Agra.

Health department officials are tracing other persons who came in contact with the patient. It is said that the patient returned from China on December 23. The fresh case of coronavirus surfaced against the backdrop of soaring Covid cases in China, triggering an alarm worldwide.

In an apparent failure to curb Covid spread, China has been logging millions of fresh infections every day. On Sunday, PM Narendra Modi alerted the nation in this regard and asked the public to up their vigil and take precautions. With a massive tourist influx in Himachal Pradesh, the state government ordered making face masks compulsory on Sunday.

This came a day after the Centre announced that RT-PCR tests will be mandatory for international passengers coming from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand as Covid cases continue to surge worldwide.