Lagatar24 Desk
Mumbai, Nov.27: Mumbai’s mayor Kishori Pednekar has stated today that if any traveler arriving at Mumbai airport from South Africa is discovered positive for COVID-19, their genome sequencing would be done.
Genome sequencing is a process that reads and interprets genetic information, similar to an instruction manual that contains information on an organism’s make-up.
The decision to sequence the genome comes after numerous countries placed flying bans on South African arrivals due to concerns over a new mutation known as Omicron.
“There are concerns in Mumbai about the new variant of coronavirus. Genome sequencing of (positive) passengers coming from South Africa will be done. There is no restriction on outbound flights in any way. But this decision has been taken keeping in view past experience,” Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar said today.
“There is an increased risk of COVID-19 in other nations, so those coming from abroad will have to undergo genome test. I request everyone to maintain social distancing and wear masks so that this new menace can be stopped,” she added.
Every person returning from South Africa will be quarantined on arrival in Mumbai and their samples will be sent for genome sequencing: Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar pic.twitter.com/bQwGlajO4Z
— ANI (@ANI) November 27, 2021
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with top officials earlier this morning to discuss COVID-19 and the country’s vaccination situation, amid fears about the Omicron strain. The version, which was first discovered in South Africa this week and has since been reported from Botswana, Hong Kong, Israel, and Belgium, is thought to have 50 mutations, with over 30 in the spike protein and ten in the receptor binding domain.
