Britain s roadmap from coronavirus lockdown could be derailed by the emergence of a new Covid mutation from India, a leading scientist has today warned.
The mutant strain, which has already been found in the UK, is thought to be the cause of a huge second wave of infections across the south-Asian nation.
The country, of more than 1.3billion people, had 176,000 new cases on Thursday - a rate of 127 cases per million people, compared to 23 per million in the UK.
But the Government has so far left India off the mandatory hotel quarantine list - unlike neighbouring countries Bangladesh and Pakistan.
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New Delhi: A far higher proportion of people in the 0-19 age group has been affected during the second coronavirus wave, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) flagged in a meeting of the Covid-19 task force Thursday.
However, the data was found to be wanting on some parameters and the council has now been asked to reassess the numbers and come back with the fresh findings.
Sources said that while the data does show that many more children are being affected this time, it could be a function simply of the opening up process, reopening of schools and colleges rather than any change in the virus behaviour or its mutation.
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Deserted platforms at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus following restrictions imposed by the Maharashtra government amidst rise in Covid-19 cases.
The Centre has asked to the state governments to ensure smooth supply of essential items amid the restrictions imposed as a measure to contain the spike of Covid-19 cases in the country.
The Central government has asked the states and Union Territories to keep operations of grocery stores, chemists and pharmaceuticals, and grocery warehouses outside the restricted areas going in order to ensure that essential supplies, including food items, drugs and hygiene products, are maintained.
In a letter to the principal secretaries of all the states and UTs, Nidhi Khare, Additional Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, said that due to the sudden spike in the number of Covid cases in the country, concern has been raised about the availability of essential commodities a