New Delhi: In wake of India reporting a total of 67 confirmed cases on Wednesday, the High level Group of Ministers (GoM) came together to review the current status, and actions for prevention and management of the COVID-19. The meeting, chaired by the Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, along with other high-level Ministers like Minister of Civil Aviation Hardeep S. Puri, as well as Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar. The GoM came up with new restrictions to be implemented with the aim to put a stop to the spread of the COVID-19 in India. The travel restrictions announced by the GoM are as below.
All existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/International Organizations, employment, project visas, stand suspended from March 13 to April 15.
1. All existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/International Organizations, employment, project visas, stand suspended till 15th April 2020. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on 13th March 2020 at the port of departure.
— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) March 11, 2020
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Visa-free travel facility granted to Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cardholders is also kept in abeyance from March 13 till April 15.
2. Visa free travel facility granted to OCI card holders is kept in abeyance till April 15th 2020. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on 13th March 2020 at the port of departure.
— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) March 11, 2020
Any foreign national who intends to travel to India for compelling reason is directed to contact the nearest Indian Mission. While all incoming travellers, including Indian nationals, arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain and Germany after 15th February, 2020 shall be quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days.
4. All incoming travelers, including Indians, arriving from or having visited China,Italy,Iran,Republic of Korea, France, Spain & Germany after 15th Feb, 2020 shall be quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days.
— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) March 11, 2020
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6. Indian nationals are strongly advised to avoid all non-essential travel abroad. On their return, they can be subjected to quarantine for a minimum of 14 days.
— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) March 11, 2020
International traffic through land borders will be restricted to Designated check posts with robust screening facilities which will be notified Ministry Home Affairs.
7. International traffic through land borders will be restricted to Designated check posts with robust screening facilities. These will be notified separately by M/o Home Affairs.
— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) March 11, 2020
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Provision for testing primarily for students as well as ‘compassionate’ cases in Italy will be made and collection for samples will be organised accordingly, the GoM said. Those tested negative will be allowed to travel back to India and will be quarantined on arrival for 14 days.
8. Provision for testing primarily for students/compassionate cases in #Italy Italy to be made and collection for samples to be organized accordingly. Those tested negative will be allowed to travel and will be quarantined on arrival in India for 14 days.
— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) March 11, 2020
Coronavirus Outbreak In India
The cases of coronavirus in the country have sharply spiked and the World Health Organization has declared the virus a pandemic which means “worldwide spread of a new disease”. Altogether, 67 people in India have been confirmed to have the virus, a chunk of them are a group of tourists from Italy. Maharashtra has reported 10 cases of the virus – two of them in Mumbai and eight in Pune. More than 40 “First contacts” of five coronavirus patients have been placed under observation in Maharashtra.
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