Karnataka Health and Medical Education minister Dr. K Sudhakar has informed that three persons who had returned from UK to the state have tested positive for the new strain of virus.<br />''<br />''Speaking to media persons in Bengaluru today, the minister said that RTPCR tests were conducted of 1614 passengers who had returned to the state from UK since November and 26 among them were tested positive.<br />''<br />''A genomic sequencing of these positive patients was done to know the strain of the virus and three among them had the new variant.<br />''<br />''Dr. Sudhakar has informed that all the positive patients have been isolated for 28 days and kept under medical supervision.<br />''<br />''Speaking about those 280 UK returned passengers who are yet to be located, the minister informed that the home department has assured that these passengers missing after arrival will be located within 48 hours.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">When asked whether lockdown will be imposed in Bengaluru after the discovery of the new virus, the minister said that sufficient steps are taken to contain the spread of new virus and there is no need for a lockdown for now.</span><br />