Coronavirus update: India puts restrictions on flights coming from Afghanistan, Malaysia and Philippines

The restrictions have been put in place till March 31. The government had earlier suspended flights from the European countries.

India has imposed further curbs on incoming flights in a bid to control the coronavirus outbreak. In an order on Tuesday, aviation regulator Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that no flights will come to India from Afghanistan, the Philippines and Malaysia starting Tuesday.

Passengers wearing mask in the sake of coronavirus outbreak arrive at Mumbai’ Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport on Monday. (Pramod THakur/HT Photo)

The order further said that the restrictions are temporary and will be in force till March 31, and will be reviewed subsequently.

“All scheduled Indian and foreign airlines engaged in international air transportation to/from India, therefore, are directed to follow the advisory and not carry any passenger in violation thereof,” DGCA chief Arun Kumar said.

In a similar move on Monday, flights between India and European countries were suspended with effect from Wednesday till March 31.

Monday’s advisory read: “Travel of passengers from the member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and United Kingdom, is prohibited with effect from March 18, 2020. No airline shall board a passenger from these nations to India with effect from 1200 GMT on March 18, 2020. The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure.”

In a separate advisory, the health ministry on Monday extended the mandatory quarantine to passengers coming in from four more countries - United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. “This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on March 18, 2020 at the port of first departure,” the advisory said.

Earlier, only passengers arriving to India from seven countries - China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain and Germany - had to undergo quarantine mandated for them by the Indian government. This was started March 13 onwards.

The passengers who need to undergo mandated quarantine have been divided into different categories on the basis of the severity of their symptoms by the Airport Health Organization (APHO).

While category A comprises the high-risk passengers, requiring mandatory segregation and isolation, who are directly sent to hospitals, those under category B pose a moderate risk, and need to be shifted to dedicated state government’s quarantine facility.

Passengers in category C, with low risk, need to be kept under home quarantine and are monitored.