Covid-19: India Suspends Tourist Visas

India, With 73 Active Coronavirus Cases, Has Suspended Tourist Visas For All Travellers Until April 15 To Contain The Spread Of The Deadly Disease. However, Diplomatic And Employment Visas And The Ones Given To Individuals Engaged In International Organizations And Projects Will Not Be Affected.

Foreigners Who Are Already In India With Valid Visas Will Not Be Impacted.

Medical Authorities And Experts Have Warned That India, With A Population Of 1.3 Billion, Needs To Put In Place Additional Measures To Arrest The Spread Of This Disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO), Meanwhile, Has Declared The Outbreak Of Covid-19 A Global Pandemic.

The Move Comes After The Number Of Deaths Reported Outside China, The Epicentre Of The Deadly Disease, Crossed 1,000. Italy, Which Reported The Highest Number Of Deaths On Account Of The Novel Covid-19, Has Been The Worst Affected By The Spread Of The Disease Outside China. Nadine Dorries, UK’s Health Minister, Has Also Tested Positive. The UK Reported A Total Of 382 Cases As Of Wednesday.

India, Meanwhile, Has Launched A Massive Public Awareness Through Telecom Providers.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Has Been Regularly Holding Review Meetings With Various Stakeholders Including State Governments, District-Level Administrative Authorities, Hospitals, And Medical Colleges On The Overall Level Of Preparedness.

While The Government And Medical Authorities Asked Citizens Not To Panic, Indians Have Been Advised Against Non-Essential Travel Outside The Country. Indians Could Also Be Quarantined For A Minimum Of 14 Days In Case They Showed Any Signs Of The Dangerous Flu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Has Also Asked People To Stay Away From Mass Gatherings.

Kerala, With 17 People Affected By Covid-19, Has Declared A Health Emergency.

Beside Kerala, Several Other States Including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, Ladakh, Jammu And Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, And Telangana Have Reported Covid-19 Cases. Several State Governments, Including Delhi, Has Closed All Primary Schools Till March 31..