India temporarily suspended flight services from the UK on Monday in the wake of the deadly strain of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) emerging there.
The suspension will take effect on December 22 and will remain in effect until December 31.
“Taking into account the prevailing situation in the UK, the Government of India has decided that all flights from the UK to India will be temporarily suspended until 11:59 pm on December 31st. This suspension will begin at 11:59 p.m. on December 22, ”said the Ministry of Civil Aviation in a statement.
The ministry further said that as a precautionary measure, passengers arriving from the UK on all transit flights (flights that have taken off or flights that arrive in India before December 22 at 11:59 p.m.) should be subject to the mandatory RT-PCR test on arrival at the corresponding airports.
The UK was isolated from the rest of Europe on Monday after allies cut transport ties over fear of a new strain of coronavirus.
France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, Israel, and Canada are among those who cut off travel relations after Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that a highly infectious new strain of the virus was a danger to the country.
The pound fell more than 2 cents to $ 1.3279 and the FTSE 100 fell 2% at the open, and travel companies such as IAG, which owns British Airways, fell 15%. The yield of the British 2-year gilts reached a record low.
The new strain of the virus, which accounts for a third of current cases in London, is believed to be 70% more infectious than the other strains in circulation. The UK announced a surprise shutdown in London and other parts of the country amid the surge in cases due to the new strain of the virus.
The new strain of the virus was first detected in September and has been shown to increase the spread of the disease in laboratories. So far, there is no evidence to suggest that it causes more deaths.
(With inputs from agencies)
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