UK official caught COVID-19 during India visit aimed at securing vaccine: Report

A British government official who visited India last month to secure vaccine supplies for the UK has tested positive for COVID19 on his return and is among those believed to have unwittingly carried the socalled Indian variant of the contagion to Britain according to a media report on SundayDavid Quarrey 55 a 10 Downing Street aide had tested negative in his pretravel test but tested positive a week after his return when the National Health Service NHS flagged that someone on his flight had been traced as COVIDpositive The Sunday Times reportsBoris Johnsons International Affairs Adviser and Deputy National Security Adviser Quarreys tour in March was among the precursor visits ahead of the UK Prime Ministers scheduled visit in April Johnsons visit was however cancelled last week amidst the escalating pandemic crisis in IndialdquoMr Quarrey followed the correct procedures on his return to the UKrdquo a government spokesperson saidThe former diplomat went to India with Johnsons ally Lord Edward UdnyLister as part of an effort to secure millions of doses of the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine being produced by the Serum Institute of India the worlds largest vaccine maker as part of an international tieupAccording to the newspaper Quarrey who is exempt from quarantine and testing requirements as he was on an official government business tested negative for COVID19 when he took a predeparture test on March 25However a week later on April 1 when he was back at work at Downing Street he received a message from the NHS Test and Trace team because someone on the same flight had tested positive He took a test the same day and was also found to be positiveIndia has since been added to the lsquored listrsquo of 40 countries from where travel is either banned or severely restricted with compulsory 10day hotel quarantine in place for any returning local residentsThe Public Health England PHE has tracked 132 cases of the B1617 India variant until the middle of April and continues to monitor it as a Variant Under Investigation VUIMeanwhile the Indian High Commission in London on Saturday issued a social media appeal for help to meet the rising demand for oxygen and medical supplies in Indias devastating second wave of the COVID19 pandemicIt listed the required items as ldquoempty refillable oxygen cylinders with 10 litres and 45 litres LMO liquid medical oxygen capacity oxygen concentrators and Remdesivirrdquo among the required supplies to meet the massive demand for these amid some of the highest coronavirus infection rates being recorded in IndiaSeveral fundraising appeals have also been issued by UKbased charities via social media channels including an emergency Covid appeal by the Prince Charles founded British Asian Trust and the worldfamous Neasden Temple in LondonIndia is struggling with a second wave of the pandemic with more than 300000 daily new coronavirus cases being reported in the past few days and hospitals in several states are reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and bedsSince Friday the IAF has been airlifting empty oxygen tankers and containers to various filling stations across the country to speed up the distribution of the muchneeded medical oxygen in treating COVID19 patientsOn Friday the Union Home Ministry said it was in talks for the import of highcapacity oxygencarrying tankers from Singapore and the UAEThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever