Covid: India suspends most visas till April 15

Corona now officially a pandemic: WHO

New Delhi, March 11: As the World Health Organisation on Wednesday declared coronavirus a pandemic, signalling that health experts believe efforts should be focused less on containing the virus and more on stockpiling materials, getting hospitals ready to handle an influx of patients and enacting social distancing policies, India announced the suspension of all visas, except a few categories such as diplomatic and employment, till April 15 in a bid to contain the spread of novel coronavirus. The government also “strongly advised” Indians to avoid all nonessential travel abroad, an official statement said.

The suspension will come into effect from 1200 GMT on March 13 at the port of departure.

The decision was taken at a meeting of a group of ministers held here under the chairmanship of health minister Harsh Vardhan.

“All existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/International organisations, employment and project visas, stand suspended till 15th April 2020. This will come into effect from 1200GMT on 13th March 2020 at the port of departure,” the statement said.

Visa-free travel facility granted to Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card holders is also kept in abeyance till April 15.

Any foreign national who intends to travel to India for compelling reason may contact the nearest Indian Mission, the release said, adding that all incoming travellers, including Indian nationals, arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain and Germany after February 15 will be quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days. The government advised the incoming travellers, including Indian nationals, to avoid non-essential travel and told them that they can be quarantined for a minimum of 14 days on their arrival in India.

“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,” it said.

International traffic through land borders will be restricted to designated check posts with robust screening facilities. These will be

■ Continued from Page 1 notified separately by the ministry of home affairs, the release said.

Provision for testing primarily for students/compassionate cases in Italy to be made and collection for samples to be organised accordingly.

Those tested negative will be allowed to travel and will be quarantined on arrival in India for 14 days, the press release said.

Declaring coronavirus a pandemic, WHO directorgeneral Ted ros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “We are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity and by the alarming levels of inaction” by the world’s leaders in response to the outbreak We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterised as a pandemic,” he added. The declaration came as the number of cases surpassed 1,20,000 worldwide.