New travel rules for flyers from these 6 countries to India; check details

As Covid-19 cases continue to decline globally, the Centre has announced new rules for visitors coming to India from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand.

As per the new rule, travellers from these countries will no longer be required to furnish a pre-departure Covid test report and upload a self-health declaration on the 'Air Suvidha' portal. 

The new rule kicks in from today, February 13.

The government has taken this decision as these countries have been witnessing a sustained and significant decline in trajectory of Covid-19 cases in the last four weeks, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said.

In a letter sent to his counterpart in the Ministry of Civil Aviation Rajiv Bansal, Bhushan said his ministry is updating its 'Guidelines for International Arrivals' in view of the decline in coronavirus cases, PTI reported.

However, the present exercise of random testing of two per cent travellers irrespective of their country of origin upon arrival in India shall continue.

According to the World Health Organisation's latest situational update on Covid-19, a decline of 89 per cent in the number of newly confirmed cases in the past 28 days has been noted globally as compared to 28 days prior to that, he said.

India too continues to report a decline in the number of Covid-19 cases, with about 100 new cases being registered daily.

"This ministry is updating its 'Guidelines for International Arrivals', and dropping the existing requirements of pre-departure Covid-19 testing and uploading of self-health declaration on Ministry of Civil Aviation's 'Air Suvidha' portal applicable for international travellers coming from or via China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Thailand and Japan," the letter said.

India recorded 124 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases increased to 1,843, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.

According to the ministry's website 220.62 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

(With PTI inputs)

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