8 Bangladeshis who did not travel to India infected with Indian Covid-19 variant

The Indian variant of Covid-19 was detected in samples of eight more Bangladeshis in Jashore through genome sequencing yesterday, but none of them had travelled to India.

The samples were tested at the Genome Centre of Jashore University of Science and Technology, Md Abdur Rashid, public relations officer of the university told our Benapole correspondent last night.

Of the eight patients, seven are male and one female. All are less than 56 years old, he said.

With them, 15 people of Jashore were detected with the Indian variant in the district.

Abdur Rashid said none of the eight had travelled to India.

A research team led by professor Dr Iqbal Kabir Zahid, associate director of the genome centre, detected the Indian variant of Covid-19 known as B.1.617.2 in the eight samples through sequencing yesterday, said Abdur Rashid quoting the research team.

The matter has been already informed to Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), IEDCR and the local administration of Jashore, the official added.

According to the Genome Centre, genome sequencing was done on 36 samples from local people.

Of the samples that carried the Indian variant, four were from Abhoynagar Health Complex, three were from Jashore General Hospital and one was from Jhikargachha Health Complex on May 29.