Check all New Year events that can be superspreaders: Centre to states, UTs

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.

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

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>> 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.

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