The Indian government today has announced a ban on flights to and from the UK till December 31 over the fear of a new fast-spreading strain of the coronavirus in Britain.
The Centre said, "Considering the prevailing situation in the UK, the government of India has decided that all flights originating from the UK to India to be suspended till 31st December. Consequently, flights from India to the UK shall stand temporarily suspended during the above said period."
Passengers arriving from the UK before midnight tomorrow will have to go through an RT-PCR test at airports.
A joint monitoring group on coronavirus had met this morning to discuss the mutant coronavirus that has spread rapidly in the UK. Several countries including Canada, Saudi Arabia and EU have suspended flights from the UK.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan today said the government is alert about this new Covid strain and "there's no need to panic".
Suspension of flights from the UK has been in appeal since yesterday. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: "New mutation of coronavirus has emerged in the UK, which is a super-spreader. I urge the central government to ban all flights from the UK immediately."
The new variant of coronavirus was first detected in southeast England in September and quickly spread across the country, increasing the number of cases and lockdown there.
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British Health Secretary Matt Hancock on Sunday said: "the new variant is out of control".
Italy has reported a patient, who had recently returned from the UK, infected with the mutant virus.