India has the second-highest number of infections in the world after the United States, with its tally rising past 10 million on the weekend. Five of the 266 passengers and crew who arrived in New Delhi on a flight from Britain late on Monday had tested positive for the coronavirus, said government official Awanish Kumar, who is helping coordinate testing at New Delhi airport. "It is unclear ... NCDC will confirm this," Kumar said in a text message when asked if any of the five had the new strain of the virus. At least two other flights from Britain have landed in India since the announcement of the flight ban, one in Mumbai and the other in the northern city of Amritsar. Test results from the 240 people who arrived late on Monday in Amritsar were due on Tuesday afternoon, government official Deepak Bhatia told Reuters.

Source: bd News24 December 22, 2020 07:30 UTC