Singapore and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced they have suspended flights from India amid rising number of COVID-19 cases in the South Asian country.
From tomorrow, all long-term pass holders as well as short-term visitors, who have been in India for the last 14 days, will not be allowed into Singapore or to transit through the city-state, the city-state's health ministry said. All passengers from India who haven’t finished their 14-day quarantine by yesterday will need to complete an extra seven-day isolation at dedicated facilities, instead of their homes.
"In view of the ongoing COVID-19 situation, international airline operations between India and Singapore remain suspended, except for international repatriation flights under India’s Vande Bharat Mission," said a statement from Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Arrival passengers from India through other countries will also not be allowed into UAE unless the passengers have stayed in a third country for a period of at least 14 days, it added.
The ban on the entry of Indians into UAE will be effective from 11:59 pm tomorrow.
The decision by UAE and Singapore comes two days after the United Kingdom and Hong Kong added India to its red list for travel due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases, especially the rise of a highly transmissible variant of the virus.
India posted the world’s biggest one-day jump in coronavirus cases ever as a ferocious new wave grips the country, overwhelming hospitals and crematoriums and prompting frantic cries for help on social media. The nation reported 314,835 new infections yesterday, topping a peak of 314,312 recorded in the US on December 21, 2020.
