Now Netherlands suspends flights from India till May 1 amid surge in COVID-19 infections

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Amsterdam: In view of the rising COVID-19 cases in the country, the Government of Netherlands has now suspended flights from India.

Dutch Aviation Ministry said in a statement on Sunday (April 25, 2021) that it had suspended all flights coming from India, effective April 26 and until further notice, according to ANI.

"A flight ban will take effect for passenger flights from India at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 26... The flight ban will be in place until at least 00:01 a.m. on May 1," Sputnik quoted Dutch Aviation Ministry`s statement.

The flight ban was announced on Sunday night after the Cabinet received new advice from public health agency RIVM, NL Times reported citing Infrastructure Minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen in a letter to Parliament.

"The epidemiological situation on the ground is very serious," she wrote. 

The minister noted that there are several variants of the coronavirus there, and there are many uncertainties about their "infectivity, pathogenic capability, and possible reduced protection of antibodies after vaccination or a previous infection".

The ban on flight is set to expire on May 1, unless the Cabinet decides to extend it during meetings next week. Cargo flights and flights with medical personnel will be exempted from the ban.

Meanwhile, Canada, United States, United Kingdom and Kuwait have also announced ban flights from India due to the growing wave of COVID-19 cases in that region.

India is witnessing a deadly surge in COVID-19 infections in the second wave, with the country reporting over three lakh daily cases from the last few days. The country on Sunday reported 3,49,391 new COVID-19 cases and 2,767 deaths. As per the union health ministry data, five states of the country, namely Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat and Kerala, contribute 54 percent of the cases. 

Additionally, France had on Wednesday (April 21) imposed a 10-day quarantine for travellers arriving from India in the coming days to prevent the spread of a COVID-19 variant found in India. The Russian Embassy’s visa section has also temporarily ceased its operations until further notice due to India`s COVID-19 situation.

(With inputs from ANI)