India's health authorities remain vigilant and prepared to deal with a new more transmissible strain of the coronavirus identified in Britain, the country's health minister said, adding that there was no need to panic.

India has recorded the world's second highest number of infections and breached the 10 million case milestone over the weekend. More than 145,000 people have died from Covid-19, according to Reuters.

“If you ask me, there is no reason for such panic,” India's Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said at a press briefing in New Delhi. "Don't entangle yourself in this imaginary situation, imaginary talk, imaginary panic,” Vardhan said.