Coronavirus: India closes door for citizens, foreigners coming from three more nations

India on Tuesday closed its door for its citizens as well as foreign nationals coming from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia, as it continued to step up its endeavour to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Travel of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India is prohibited with immediate effect,” the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated in an advisory on Tuesday.

“No flight shall take off from these countries to India after 15:00 hours (3:00 pm) Indian Standard Time (IST). The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure.”

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The restriction on entry of passengers from the three countries would remain in force till March 31 and will be reviewed subsequently, it added.

Earlier, New Delhi barred entry of any passengers— foreign nationals or citizens of India— coming from the 27 European Union countries as well as the United Kingdom and Turkey between March 18 and March 31, closing the doors on those who want to travel or return to India.

The decision was taken after several EU nations reported a rapid spread of COVID-19 infection among people.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare also decided that all the passengers coming from or transiting through the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Oman and Kuwait would be placed in quarantine for 14 days at the port of entry, with effect from March 18.