The UAE earlier suspended flights from India for 10 days on April 24 as the country suffers from worsening coronavirus numbers, and mutant variants of the virus, Khaleej Times reported. The suspension of travel from India to the UAE has been extended till May 14.
Transit passengers who have made a stopover in India in the last 14 days are also not permitted to disembark in any airport in the UAE.
Cargo flights between the two countries are not affected.
Exempted from the decision are UAE nationals and diplomatic missions between the two countries, official delegations, businessmen’s planes and golden residence holders. However, they are required to adhere to precautionary regulations that include a mandatory 10-day quarantine and a PCR test at the airport, and are obligated to take another test on the fourth and eighth days of entering the country.
India set another global record in new virus cases on Thursday with 379,257 new infections. India now has reported more than 18.3 million cases, and the health ministry also reported a death tally of 3,645 in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 204,832. Experts believe both figures do not translate the full scope of the actual numbers due to a number of factors, but it’s unclear by how much.
Daily deaths have nearly tripled in the past three weeks, revealing the struggles of the country’s already weak health system, which is under immense strain. This has compelled multiple friendly countries to send help, with Kuwait sending oxygen cylinders to India.