NEW DELHI: Following the suspension of visas for several countries in the wake of the spread of Coronavirus, the Centre has said that people travelling to and those who have travelled to Italy and South Korea will now have to submit a certificate of being tested negative for the virus from the authorities of those countries.
The measure was enforced on March 10 and will be applicable till further notice.
The enforcement of the order came after a group of 45 Indians was left stranded at Rome airport after an airline refused to take them aboard citing government rules.
The Indian Embassy in Italy has notified Indian students flying to India on or after March 10 that they can submit details by filling an online form.
A stranded passenger at Milan airport said that the airport officials had asked them to produce a certificate.
The document is not easy to procure, the passenger said, as the procedure requires visits to Coronavirus infected areas to prove that they have tested negative.
Earlier, the government had suspended visas from several other states — Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan and China amid intensifying Coronavirus tensions.
While diplomats and other officials are exempted, they will have to undergo medical screening. Alongside, passengers arriving from several Coronavirus-affected countries must undergo screening on arrival.
So far around 60 people have been tested positive for the virus in India. Meanwhile, the ministry of road transport and highways on Wednesday issued an advisory to all states and union territories, urging them to increase sanitation and hygiene in all public transport vehicles to control the spread of the deadly virus.
“A public health situation of this scale requires a concerted and whole of government approach in order to prevent further importation of cases and to build up a comprehensive and robust response system. It is required to step up efforts and fully mobilise all resources to support the efforts of the ministry of health and family welfare in preparedness, control and containment measures,” the advisory read.
24-year-old man quarantined in Indore
A 24-year-old man, who recently returned to Madhya Pradesh from Italy, has been admitted to a government hospital in Indore for possible exposure to the novel Coronavirus, officials said on Wednesday.
So far, 664 persons have been screened for the virus in the state, no confirmed case has been reported as yet.
Corona extends India march
18 Fresh Coronavirus cases reported in India on Wednesday
60 Total confirmed Corona cases in India
6 – Scientists from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have been deployed in Iran to collect swab samples of fellow Indians stranded there
400 – swab samples of stranded Indians in Iran to be collected
58 – evacuees from Iran arrived in the country on March 10
948 – Indians have been brought to the country from countries hit by Covid-19
Covid-19 shadow on pilgrimage
The Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra is likely to be delayed this year, as the coordination committee meeting for the pilgrimage has been pushed back in the wake of growing fears around Coronavirus.
The meeting was scheduled in the last week of February.
Ashok Joshi, general manager, Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam, which has been managing the pilgrimage, said, “We’re yet to receive word on when the meeting in Delhi would be held. If the meeting is delayed, so will the yatra.”
Cap on attendance in IPL matches
Taking due cognizance of the two confirmed Corona cases in Maharashtra, the government led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said it had decided to allow matches of the cash-rich Indian Premier League in the state, minus spectators.
The IPL matches in the state would be hosted by Mumbai and Pune.
A senior minister, who was part of a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, said, “We’ve already informed the organisers to not sell IPL tickets in the state.”