2 Patients in Gujarat, detected with China covid variant, cured at home

Two people who had contracted the strain of the coronavirus causing a surge in COVID-19 cases in China had been detected in Gujarat over two months ago and recovered at home, without needing hospitalisation, officials told sources on Wednesday.

One of the patients, a 61-year-old woman in Vadodara, had arrived from the US on September 11, and tested positive for COVID-19 on September 18, the official said, adding she had taken three doses of the Pfizer vaccination and was in home isolation.

This comes after the central government asked states to keep a sharp lookout for any new variants of the coronavirus and urged people to wear masks in crowded areas, citing an increase in COVID-19 cases in China and other parts of the globe.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met senior government officials on Wednesday to discuss the matter, with all those present wearing masks - a practice that has not been mandatory in most parts of the country for several months.

China has seen a surge in infections after ending strict restrictions, while data from the World Health Organization shows infections have risen in countries like Japan, South Korea and the United States in recent days.

The Indian government has asked all states to ensure that samples of positive cases are sent to the country's 54 designated genome sequencing laboratories.