Govt says COVID-19 guidelines to remain in force till Jan 31, warns of new virus strain

"While there has been a continuous decline in the active and new COVID-19 cases, there is need to maintain surveillance, containment and caution, keeping in view the surge in cases globally, and emergence of a new variant of the virus in the United Kingdom (UK)," the MHA said in a press release.

Accordingly, containment zones continue to be demarcated carefully; prescribed containment measures strictly followed within these zones; COVID-appropriate behaviour promoted and strictly enforced; and the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) prescribed in respect of various permitted activities followed scrupulously, the MHA said.

It added that the focused approach on surveillance, containment and strict observance of the guidelines/SOPs issued by MHA and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), as envisaged in the guidelines issued on 25.11.2020; need to be enforced strictly by States and Union Territories.

India has reported 20,021 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 1,02,07,871, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Monday.

The total number of active cases stands at 2,77,301 while total recoveries are at 97,82,669 and the cumulative death toll stands at 1,47,901.