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

Physics teacher Regina O'Dwyer demonstrates how Dubai College's remote learning system works. Using Microsoft 365 and Cisco Webex - a Skype-style conference call tool - she can take pupils through live lessons as they sit at home. Victor Besa / The National

Instead of returning to school after the spring break, pupils will login from home for two weeks and watch teachers at Dubai College for each lesson. The school will remain empty except for teachers. Victor Besa / The National

Dubai College principal Michael Lambert said the teachers are preparing to use the remote system for two weeks. Victor Besa / The National

People disembarking from a UAE military transport plane, used to transport medical equipment and coronavirus testing kits provided by the World Health Organisation, upon their arrival in Iran. AFP

Workers clean the Grand Mosque, during the pilgrimage known as Umrah, in the Muslim holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. AP Photo

Labourers unloading medical equipment and coronavirus testing kits provided by the World Health Organisation, from a UAE military transport plane upon their arrival in Iran. AFP

Tonnes of medical equipment and coronavirus testing kits provided by the World Health Organisation are pictured at the Al Maktoum International airport in Dubai as it is prepared to be delivered to Iran by a UAE plane. AFP

An Iranian lab technician loads a centrifuge with blood samples, taken from patients suspected of being infected with COVID-19 virus, at a hospital in Tehran. AFP

A man wears a protective face mask, following the outbreak of the new coronavirus, as he walks at the Grand Souq in old Dubai, UAE. Reuters

A worker splashes disinfectant in a classroom as part of sterilisation campaign against the new coronavirus, at the Evangelical School, in Loueizeh, east of Beirut, Lebanon. AP Photo

Lebanese workers spray disinfectant in classrooms and halls of a school in the coastal town of Rmeileh, 35km south of the capital Beirut in an effort to prevent a novel coronavirus outbreak in the country. AFP

People wearing protective masks are seen on a street in Kuwait City, amid a global outbreak of the novel Coronavirus. AFP

An empty classroom is seen in a private school in Hawally, after the Ministry of Edudution suspended schools and universities due to the coronavirus outbreak, in Kuwait city. Reuters

A health worker is pictured inside a newly erected coronavirus quarantine centre in Sanaa, Yemen. Reuters

Jordanian Health Minister Saad Jaber and Minister for Media Affairs Amjad al-Adaileh attend a news conference after the country's first case of the coronavirus was confirmed, at the headquarters of the Prime Minister in Amman, Jordan. Reuters

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (left) and Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan attend a press conference at the Central Government Offices in Hong Kong, China. EPA

Chinese President Xi Jinping learning about the progress on the vaccine and anti-body during his visit to the Academy of Military Medical Sciences in Beijing, capital of China. EPA

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.