Coronavirus: Air travellers coming from Italy, South Korea to carry medical certificate

Mumbai, Mar 05: Air travellers having visited or arriving from Italy and South Korea will require to submit a certificate of having "tested" negative from a health authorities-designated lab in their countries for coronavirus at the departure airport, a senior DGCA official said on Thursday.

The fresh travel curbs, which are in addition to the visa restrictions already in place, would come into effect from midnight of March 9 and will remain in place until cases of coronavirus subside, he said.

The new measures come amid 29 people, including 16 Italian tourists, tested positive for coronavirus till Wednesday. The list includes the first three cases in the country from Kerala last month.

Three persons have been discharged following recovery.

"It has been decided that in addition to visa restrictions already in place, passengers travelling from/ having visited Italy or South Korea and desirous of entering India will need a certificate of having tested negative for Covid-19 from the designated laboratories authorised by the health authorities of these countries," the official said.

This is a temporary measure till cases of COVID-19 subside and will be enforced from past midnight on March 9, the official said.

All scheduled airlines operating to and from India have been directed to strictly comply with the new additional measure and not allow boarding of any such passenger without such certificate at the point of embarkation, as per the official.