Israel bans travel to Covid-hit India

JERUSALEM/LONDON: Israel has temporarily barred its citizens from travelling to India and six other countries, citing escalating Covid-19 infection rates there.

The Prime Minister’s Office and the health ministry said Israelis will not be allowed to travel to Ukraine, Brazil, Ethiopia, South Africa, India, Mexico and Turkey. The rule will be in force on May 3 and remain in place until May 16.

Non-israelis, however, will be able to travel to these countries, provided they plan to reside there permanently, the press release said. The regulation will not be applicable to those who stay at airports in transit in one of these countries for a time period of up to 12 hours while waiting for a connecting flight.

Jordan, meanwhile, detected three cases of the Indian variant of Covid-19 in people who had not travelled, the health minister told a state-owned TV.

“Two cases were recorded in Amman and one in Zarqa in people who did not travel, which confirms that the emergence of mutated cases does not necessarily have to come from outside, but rather as a result of specific reproduction,” Firas Al-hawari said.

The UK is close to turning the corner in its fight against the pandemic and it’s important to remain careful in the last lap of the process, British foreign secretary Dominic Raab has said.

He was defending the government’s road map out of the lockdown, which is now set to ease further on May 17 when greater indoor interactions are expected to be allowed, with June 21 set as the date for a near complete end to lockdown rules.

“I know that people are hankering to go a bit faster, but actually we feel vindicated at taking steady steps out of the lockdown is the smart way to go,” Raab told Sky News.