NEW DELHI: A total of 82 persons were found with the new mutant variant of coronavirus so far, informed Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Friday. "The total number of cases infected with the new strain of the novel coronavirus, first reported in the UK, now stands at 82," the miinistry said in a statement.
Flights from the United Kingdom resumed today in a limited capacity amid concerns about the new strain of the coronavirus that was recently detected in the UK. The first flight carrying 256 passengers arrived in Delhi today from London, airport officials informed.
The ban on flights to the UK was lifted on January 6. Thirty flights will operate each week - 15 each by Indian and UK carriers. This schedule will continue till January 23, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had informed earlier.
Passengers will have to take an RT-PCR test up to 72 hours before a flight and on arrival.
According to the special surveillance report issued on Thursday by the central government, a total of 4,858 people have been traced who travelled between India and the UK after the cases of infection by new variant came to light.
Meanwhile, India has reported 18,139 new COVID-19 cases, 20,539 recoveries and 234 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 1,04,13,417 on Friday, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
While 1,00,37,398 people have recovered from the novel coronavirus so far, 1,50,570 persons have succumbed to the deadly virus in the country. There are 2,25,449 active coronavirus cases in India, as per the Union Health Ministry.