The UAE has announced a travel ban on Indians coming into the country from April 25, for 10 days until May 4, according to Gulf News. The ban comes amid a massive surge in COVID-19 cases in India. The ban will come into effect from 11:59 pm on April 24, Saturday, and will be reviewed after a period of 10 days. However, it will not be applicable to UAE nationals and diplomats. Passengers who have transited through India in the last 14 days too will not be permitted to board flights from anywhere to the UAE. Entry of Indians from any other country to the UAE will not be allowed, unless they have stayed in that country for over 14 days.
According to reports, the federal ban will encompass all airlines including Indian air carriers such as Indigo, GoAir, SpiceJet, Vistara, Air India and others. UAE’s national air carrier Emirates announced the ban. On Emirates's official website, the last updated notice mandated all passengers from India to the UAE to carry a negative COVID‑19 PCR test certificate for a test taken no more than 48 hours, before departure if arriving in Dubai.
It also stated that UAE nationals are exempt from this requirement, but must take a COVID‑19 PCR test on arrival at Dubai International airport.
Air India had earlier in the day announced their decision to cancel flights between India and the UK from April 24 to 30. Recently, the UK said it will impose travel restrictions on passengers from India, due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in the country. India has been included in the UK’s 'Red List', or those countries whose citizens cannot freely travel to the UK. India presently has over 22.91 lakh people under treatment for COVID-19.
On Thursday, India recorded the highest spike in COVID-19 cases in the world, with as many as 3,15,660 cases and 2,091 deaths reported in a single day. The case count crossed three lakh for the first time since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Hospitals across the country are reporting a massive influx of patients, due to which there is a severe shortage of drugs needed to treat COVID-19 and oxygen cylinders being reported.