Three Cases of Coronavirus Variant Spreading in India Show Up in Southwest China

What’s new: Authorities in the southwestern city of Chongqing have confirmed that three Chinese flight passengers have been infected with a variant of the coronavirus that is emerging in India after returning from the South Asian country last month, according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC).

The patients, with full protective measures, tested positive of Covid-19 upon arrival at Chongqing Customs on April 21 and were subsequently transferred to the designated Covid-19 hospital, the Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, the China CDC said in a field note published Saturday.

After sequencing specimens of the three patients last week, the Chongqing municipal CDC confirmed they were infected with the variant and concluded that their infection probably occurred in India, according to the note.

All in their 20s, the three patients worked for a cellphone company with a factory located in Noida, India, the field note said. The three had been working in the country since late 2019.

More than two weeks ago, the patients took business trips to several cities in India and Nepal, including Noida, New Delhi and Kathmandu, the note said, citing epidemiological investigation reports. They then stayed for two days at a hotel in Kathmandu before flying to Chongqing on April 21.

The background: Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the China CDC, said at a press conference Thursday that the coronavirus strain B.1.617, which was detected in India in October, has been found in several Chinese cities.

On Tuesday, the Chinese mainland reported (link in Chinese) seven confirmed Covid-19 cases, all imported, bringing the total number to 90,721, according to the National Health Commission. The mainland’s death toll remained unchanged at 4,636.

Quick Takes are condensed versions of China-related stories for fast news you can use.

This story has been updated with additional information.

Contact reporter Wang Xintong (xintongwang@caixin.com) and editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com)

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