Despitethe declining trend in new Covid-19 cases, the Central government on Mondayextended, till January 31 next year, the safety guidelines directing states andUnion Territories (UTs) to maintain surveillance and follow containmentmeasures set earlier.
TheMinistry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued the fresh order, extending the earlierguidelines for surveillance in the first month of the new year.
"Whilethere has been a continuous decline in the active and new Covid-19 orcoronavirus cases, there is need to maintain surveillance, containment andcaution, keeping in view the surge in cases globally, and emergence of a newvariant of the virus in the United Kingdom (UK)," the ministry said in astatement.
Accordingly,it said containment zones should continue to be demarcated carefully andprescribed containment measures strictly followed within these zones. Asper the ministry, there is clear direction to promote Covid-19 appropriatebehaviour and its strict enforcement.
Italso directed the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) prescribed in respect ofvarious permitted activities be followed "scrupulously".
Therefore,the ministry made it clear that the focused approach on surveillance,containment and strict observance of the guidelines or SOPs issued by it andthe Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, as envisaged in the guidelinesissued on November 25 this year, need to be enforced strictly by states andUTs.
Thefresh order comes at a time when India logged 20,021 fresh Covid-19 infectionstaking the total number of cases to 1,02,07,871, along with 279 deaths in thelast 24 hours, taking the toll to 1,47,901 as per latest data. In the last 24hours, 21,131 people have recovered, taking the total number of the recoveredpeople to 97,82,669. There are 2,77,301 active cases. The recovery rate standsat 95.83 per cent while the fatality rate is 1.45 as per cent.
TheMHA order considers the new strain of the Covid-19 virus which has appeared inthe UK. The mutant is said to be 70 per cent more aggressive, according toreports. Flights and other forms of transport to and from the UK have been shutdown to avoid the spread of the new mutant.