Covid guidelines to remain in force till Jan 31: MHA

New Delhi: The Centre on Monday said there has been a continuous decline in the number of active COVID-19 cases in the country but there is a need to maintain surveillance, containment and caution, keeping in view the surge in the number of cases globally and the emergence of a new variant of the virus in the United Kingdom (UK).

In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said it has issued fresh guidelines for surveillance with regard to COVID-19 and these will remain in force till January 31.

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

"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.

India's COVID-19 caseload rose to 1,02,07,871 with 20,021 infections being reported in a day, while recoveries have surged to 97.82 lakh, according to Union Health ministry data updated on Monday.

The death toll increased to 1,47,901 with 279 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 97,82,669, pushing the national recovery rate to 95.83 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.

The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 3 lakh for the seventh consecutive day. There are 2,77,301 active Coronavirus infections in the country, which comprise 2.72 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

According to the ICMR, 16,88,18,054 samples have been tested up to December 27 with 7,15,397 samples being tested on Sunday.

The 279 new fatalities include 66 from Maharashtra, 29 from West Bengal and 25 from Kerala.

The 1,47,901 deaths reported so far in the country include 49,255 from Maharashtra followed by 12,069 from Tamil Nadu, 12,062 from Karnataka, 10,453 from Delhi, 9,598 from West Bengal, 8,306 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,094 from Andhra Pradesh and 5,299 from Punjab.

Meanwhile, according to a report, the Serum Institute of India, which is manufacturing and testing Oxford/AstraZeneca's Coronavirus vaccine in the country, said on Monday it expected regulatory approval for the shot in a few days. Serum's Chief Executive Adar Poonawalla said the vaccine, named Covishield in India, should be licensed by January.