Cases of UK, South Africa, Brazil COVID strains rise to 795 from 400 last wk

New Delhi: The Ministry of health on Tueday said the total number of cases with UK, South Africa and Brazil variants of the Covid-19 in the country till date is 795.

Till March 18, as many as 400 people in India were affected with the three mutant variants. Of these, 158 cases were reported in the last two weeks.

The mutant strain from UK was first reported in India on December 29 in six passengers who had returned from Britain.

The UK strain, which triggered panic worldwide about three months ago, also led to travel restrictions in India with the government announcing a temporary ban on flights.

Minister of state for health Ashwini Choubey earlier told the Rajya Sabha that the three variants are believed to be more contagious or easier to catch. These three mutated variants also have the potential to re-infect people who have been previously infected with SARS-CoV-2.

"No case of re-infection by mutant variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus has been reported from India so far," the Minister said.

India reported 40,715 infections of coronavirus disease, 10,731 active cases, 29,785 recoveries and 199 deaths in the last 24 hours, Union ministry of health and family welfare's data showed today.