After two of its members tested positive for Covid-19, India’s entire delegation to the Group of Seven summit in London is self-isolating, the British government said on Wednesday.
“Two delegates tested positive so the entire delegation is now self-isolating.”
A British official said.
“The meeting had been enabled by a strict set of Covid protocols, including daily testing of all delegates,” the British official said.
Furthermore, Sky News reporter Joe Pike said on Twitter that Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar did not test positive for the virus. On Tuesday, Jaishankar was pictured meeting British interior minister Priti Patel.
Pike added that the delegation will be attempting to meet virtually.
When asked for comments, the Indian High Commission in London did not immediately respond to requests.
The UK’s vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said, in response to a question by Sky News, revealed he was unaware of reports of the G7 delegates self-isolating following a COVID-19 scare.
Asked on Sky News whether he knew how many were self-isolating, he said: “I don’t I’m afraid, but obviously Public Health England and the team that are organising the G7 take this very seriously.
“We continue to have one of the most robust set of protocols around testing and so we will make sure that happens, but I don’t know the numbers.”
He added: “This is news to me… I can’t really comment.”
Although India is not a G7 member but was invited by Britain to this week’s summit, along with Australia, South Africa and South Korea.
A government source said there are concerns about the safety of other people in the G-7 delegation. “India was not a member but was invited as a guest. The question right now is who else is positive and who else has not been tested and may be spreading the virus. The organisers had put several safeguards in place but the fact that two Indian delegation members have tested positive is scary.”
