Coronavirus: India cancels visas for worst-hit countries to boost containment efforts

Diplomats and officials from the United Nations are exempt from restrictions on entry but will need to be screened

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India has suspended all visas granted to nationals of Italy, Iran, South Korea and Japan that were issued on or before March 3.

Regular and electronic visas issued to nationals from these countries was suspended with immediate effect, according to a Covid-19 revised travel advisory from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India.

This is in addition to cancellation of visas to Chinese nationals from February 5, the ministry said.

Those who require to travel to India on urgent matters could apply for fresh visas from the nearest Indian embassy or consulate.

This comes a day after the Indian government reported two new cases of coronavirus in travellers who had come into the country from Italy and Dubai, taking the number of infected people to five.

“These are preventive measures that have been taken because of high number of cases in these countries,” said Mr Vipul, the Indian consul general in Dubai.

“The government has cancelled these visas to be alert and prevent a coronavirus outbreak.”

Diplomats and officials from the United Nations were exempt from restrictions on entry but would need to be medically screened.

“All regular (sticker) visas/e-visas including  (visa on arrival for Japan and South Korea) granted to nationals of Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan and issued on or before 03.03.2020 and who have not yet entered India, stand suspended with immediate effect,” read the advisory released by the Press Information Bureau in Delhi.

As part of the new guidelines, passengers on all international flights entering the country from any port must furnish details of their travel history in a declaration form to health and immigration authorities.

Indian and foreign travellers who entered the country from a transit destination after boarding a flight from China, South Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy, Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand, Singapore and Taiwan will also undergo medical screening at the port of entry.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged people to not panic and work together to prevent the spread of the virus.

Six of a family on a trip to Agra were suspected to have the virus and have been moved to a hospital in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The number of deaths caused by the coronavirus has risen to 3,000 with China announcing it would quarantine travellers from South Korea, Japan, Iran and Italy for 14 days.

Six deaths have been reported in the United States and South Korea has confirmed 5,000 infected patients so far.