Four more Delhi residents test positive for new strain of coronavirus

Four more Delhi residents have tested positive for new coronavirus strain, sources said on Thursday, even as Health Minister Satyendar Jain appealed to Centre to extend ban on flights between India and UK till end of January. total number of people found infected with mutant variant of COVID-19 that was first detected in UK w stands at 13.

Four more samples sent for geme sequencing have been found positive, as part of door-to-door medical checkup of people who h recently arrived from UK and persons who came in ir contact in city, sources said. "So, total number of people found positive with new strain, w stands at 13 in Delhi," a source said.

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan chaired a meeting with health ministers of all states and union territories, regarding COVID-19 vaccination dry run to be conducted on January 8 in all districts of country. "In today's vc (video conference) with @drharshvardhan I requested him that ban on UK flights should be extended to 31st January, 2021 as UK is bearing all time high surge in cases and deaths," Jain tweeted.

At least 66 people, including those who recently returned from UK and ir contacts, have tested positive for coronavirus. Most been kept in separate isolation facility at LNJP Hospital. Thirteen of those have been discharged since December 29, a source said. Till Wednesday, count of Delhi residents found infected with new strain h stood at nine. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday, in a tweet, also urged Centre to extend ban on flights between India and UK till January 31 in view of “extremely serious” COVID situation in that country.

"With great difficulty, people have brought COVID situation in control. UK's COVID situation is very serious. w, why lift ban and expose our people to risk?” chief minister tweeted.

Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri h said on Saturday that flights from India to UK will resume from January 6, while services from that country to here would resume January 8 onwards. Puri h tweeted, “30 flights will operate every week. 15 each by Indian & UK carriers. This schedule is valid till 23 Jan 2021. Furr frequency will be determined after review".

According to an SOP issued by health ministry earlier this month, all passengers coming from UK between January 8 and January 30 would be subjected to self-paid COVID-19 tests on arrival. Delhi recorded 486 fresh COVID-19 cases, and 19 new fatalities on Thursday, even as positivity rate dipped to 0.63 per cent, authorities said. infection tally in city stands at 6.28 lakh and death toll mounted to 10,644, y said.