New Delhi (ANI) - In view of the threat posed by the spread of a new variant of the coronavirus, the Delhi government on Thursday asked Lok Nayak Hospital to set up a separate isolation unit for passenger who travelled between the UK and India in the past 4 weeks and tested positive for COVID-19 after arrival in Delhi.

The government in a notification said it will test all passengers of the flights from the UK landing at Delhi International Airport for the past 4 weeks (from November 25, 2020, to December 23, 2020) for COVID-19. "Passengers tested positive shall be isolated in an institutional isolation facility in a separate (isolation) unit. Thus, with regard to this, you are hereby requested to set up the same at the Lok Nayak Hospital," the notification added.

"With reference to standard operating released by Ministery of Health, it is stated that all passengers travelling from or transiting through airports in the UK and disembarking in India would be subjected to RT-PCR test on arrival. Also, passengers of the flights from the UK landing at Delhi International Airport for the past 4 weeks will be tested and then, further followed up on a daily basis for 28 days," it added.

"With reference to standard operating released by Ministery of Health, it is stated that all passengers travelling from or transiting through airports in the UK and disembarking in India would be subjected to RT-PCR test on arrival. Also, passengers of the flights from the UK landing at Delhi International Airport for the past 4 weeks will be tested and then, further followed up on a daily basis for 28 days," it added.

Meanwhile, India has temporarily suspended all flight operations between India and the UK till December 31, 2020. On December 20, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had informed the public that a new variant of the COVID-19 virus has been found in the UK."Given the early evidence we have on this new variant of the virus and the potential risk it poses, it is with a heavy heart that I must tell you we cannot continue with Christmas as planned," he had tweeted.