NEW DELHI — India has extended the temporary ban on flights to and from the United Kingdom till Jan. 7, 2021 on the recommendation of the country's health ministry here.

The ban, imposed following the detection of a new variant of the Coronavirus in the UK, was to expire on Dec.31.

"This recommendation is based on the inputs received from the Joint Monitoring Group headed by the director-general of health services and the national task force jointly headed by Director General of the Indian Council for Medical Research, ICMR and Member (Health), NITI Aayog," a statement by the ministry said. NITI Aayog is the premier policy think tank of the Indian government.

The civil aviation ministry, which promptly accepted the recommendation and formally extended the ban, will permit "strictly regulated resumption of a limited number of flights originating from the UK into India," when the flights resume.

So far, 20 persons have been found in India with the mutant variant of the virus, the ministry of health confirmed on Wednesday. — WAM