New Delhi: The World Health Organization Wednesday categorized the Coronavirus (COVID-19) as a world epidemic. This comes after the virus has infected more than 121,000 people around the world. Until now, the WHO had characterized it as an epidemic.
Speaking to reporters at Geneva, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “We are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity [of COVID-19], and by the alarming levels of inaction,” “We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic.”
In India, the Union Government has issued guidelines and restricted international travel to and from the country. The revised guidelines were issued after the second meeting of the Group of Ministers held Wednesday evening.
India has suspended all tourist visas till April 15th to prevent the deadly Coronavirus spread. The suspension comes into effect from 1200 GMT and will be in effect till 15th April. The move comes at a time when the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the new coronavirus as a pandemic. According to the revised guidelines, all existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/International Organizations, employment, project visas, stand suspended till 15th April 2020.
Visa free travel facility granted to OCI cardholders is kept in abeyance till April 15th 2020. Any foreign national who intends to travel to India for compelling reason may contact the nearest Indian Mission. All incoming travelers, including Indians, arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain & Germany after 15th Feb, 2020 shall be quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days. Incoming travelers, including Indian nationals, are advised to avoid non-essential travel and are informed that they can be quarantined for a minimum of 14 days on their arrival into the country.
Indian nationals are strongly advised to avoid all non-essential travel abroad. On their return, they can be subjected to quarantine for a minimum of 14 days and international traffic through land borders will be restricted to Designated check posts with robust screening facilities. These will be notified separately by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Cabinet Secretary on Wednesday said all states and Union Territories should invoke provisions of Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 by means of which all advisories issued by the Union health ministry and state governments from time to time are enforceable.
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