Kejriwal Asks Center to Ban All Flights from UK

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday asked the Center to immediately ban all flights from the United Kingdom to India to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 cases.

Kejriwal in a tweet said, "New mutation of corona virus has emerged in UK, which is a super-spreader. I urge central govt to ban all flights from UK immediately."

On Sunday, Britain's health minister warned that a strict lockdown imposed on London and southeast England may last for months because the new strain was "out of control". Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Saturday that millions must cancel Christmas plans and stay at home from Sunday.

The Indian Health Ministry has called a meeting today of its joint monitoring group on COVID-19 to discuss a mutant coronavirus that has spread rapidly in the UK, government sources have said.

"The government is alert. There is no need to panic," Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said on Monday, according to ANI.

No policy decision has been taken by India on any flight ban from the UK but the matter will be given a serious consideration, people with direct knowledge of the matter said.

European countries – and some beyond the continent – are restricting travel from the UK amid mounting fears over the new infectious strain.

Austria, Belgium, Italy, Ireland, Germany, France and the Netherlands announced bans Sunday, with others expected to follow. Israel, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have also temporarily suspended flights departing from or arriving in the UK.