The Ministry of Home Affairs has mandated that states and UTs, based on their assessment of the situation, may impose local restrictions with a view to contain the spread of COVID-19
People, not adhering to social distancing norms, visit Alipore Zoo in Kolkata, on Wednesday. Pic/PTI
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has written to all the states and union territories asking them to curb crowding in the wake of New Year celebrations and keep a strict vigil on all events that could be a potential superspreader, the ministry said on Wednesday.
ADVERTISEMENT
A total of 107 samples have undergone genome sequencing till now, and as many as 20 people who have returned from the UK to India have tested positive for the new 'more infectious' Coronavirus strain. On Tuesday, six patients were found to be infected with the mutant virus. These were the first cases to be reported by the country.
"The Union Health Secretary has written to all the states to keep a strict vigil on all events that could be potential superspreader events, and to curb crowding in the wake of the New Year celebrations and various events associated with it as well as the on-going winter season," the ministry said in a statement.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has mandated that states and UTs, based on their assessment of the situation, may impose local restrictions with a view to contain the spread of COVID-19, such as night curfew.
Drawing attention to this, the health secretary has urged the states to promptly assess the local situation and consider imposition of appropriate restrictions on December 30 and 31, 2020 as well as on January 1, 2021.
Students attend a class in Nagaon of Assam. Pic/PTI
'Flights to UK suspended till January 7'
>> Passenger flights between the UK and India would remain suspended till January 7 and they will resume in a "strictly regulated" manner thereafter, Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday.
>> The Coronavirus-induced suspension of international passenger flights has been extended till January 31, aviation regulator DGCA said. "However, international scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on a case-to-case basis," the DGCA added.
>> India has recorded 14 more cases with the new UK Coronavirus mutant strain, taking total number of such cases to 20, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.
>> A total of 550 UK returnees have been traced in Rajasthan so far, health officials said here on Wednesday.
Manipur cops collect '1.45 cr as COVID fines
Manipur Police have collected a sum of '1.45 crore as fine from people for violating COVID-19 guidelines in the state, an officer said. The Manipur State Disaster Management Authority had issued COVID-19 guidelines after the first Coronavirus case was detected in the state in March.
'Covaxin can deal with new strains'
Bharat Biotech said its vaccine candidate, Covaxin, will be effective in dealing with new strains of Coronavirus. Bharat Biotech Chairman and MD Krishna Ella said the protein components of inactive Covaxin will take care of mutations. His comments came amid growing concerns over new strains of SARS-CoV-2, especially the variant that was detected in the UK.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
