Followed by the detection of five cases of the new strain of Covid 19 in Meerut District, the administration has initiated intensive efforts to prepare their contact history so that if there are further cases they could be identified and isolated.

Taking serious cognisance in the matter after five new cases of the new strain of Covid 19 were reported, more than 200 families in two colonies of the district have been contained. The two colonies, Sant Vihar and Balwant Singh Enclave have been declared as containment zones and a door-to-door survey of the health department would be carried out there to identify more cases of the new strain if any.

The new strain of Covid 19 virus that had reached here from the UK, so far has infected as many as 58 persons across the country of which 5 alone are from Meerut.

District Surveillance Officer (DSO) Dr Prashant Kumar informed that Sant Vihar and Balwant Singh Enclave colonies, from where the cases of the new strain of the virus are reported, have been sealed by the administration for 14 days.

Dr Prashant said after sealing the colonies a magistrate and police are manning their gates. Residents here have been asked to remain indoors during the containment period.

Around 195 Samples of residents have been collected for testing from the two colonies. The samples were sent for testing to the central laboratory of Delhi.

Last week, the first case of the new strain was reported here after a 2-year-old girl was tested positive.

The two-year-old had arrived from the UK along with her parents on December 14. She had tested positive last week and on Monday her parents also tested positive. The virus with the new strain was transmitted from them by one of their relatives who transmitted the virus to his 15-year-old son.

The officials are now tracing the contact history of these infected persons. The 15-year-old boy, who is among the five infected from the new strain, did attend his coaching classes. Also, their family had organised a ‘Bhandara’ ( mass meal) in the colony which was attended by a large number of people.

“We are now tracing all those who had attended the Bhandara and also approaching coaching centre to contact all those who had come in contact with the boy,” informed the DSO.

“A door-to-door survey is also being conducted and all those who had come in the contact with the infected persons would be tested,” said Dr Prashant.

Furthermore, apps are being used to identify persons who came in contact with infected persons. Also, all those infected with the new strain of virus would be kept in isolation. Wards are being prepared at the LLRM College, Subharti Medical College and Anand Hospital for persons infected with the new strain.