(Image source from: english.mathrubhumi.com)

The e- visa facilities for the people travelling from China and the foreigners who have been residing in China have been temporarily suspended by the Indian government on Sunday.

The suspension of the e- visas was a step that has been initiated aiming to stop the coronavirus from spreading across the nations as the novel coronavirus has already spread to 25 countries including India and has killed more than 300 people and infected over 14,000 others.

The Indian Embassy in Beijing has announced on twitter stating that travel to India on e- visas are suspended temporarily due to the current developments of the coronavirus. It has also added that the suspension applies to the holders of Chinese passports and applicants of nationalities who are residing in China. The holders of the e- visas that have already been issued will no longer be valid.

India has not yet been suspended by the flights and the Indian Embassy in Beijing has left a window open for emergency or the important travellers from China to India. According to the statement, the individuals with a compelling reason to visit India may contact the embassy of India in Beijing or the Indian consulates in Shanghai or Guangzhou, and also the centers for the application of Indian visa in these cities.

India has evacuated 647 Indians and seven citizens of Maldives by special flights from the Wuhan city which has been the epicenter of the novel coronavirus.

Two flights have been made to the Wuhan city by Air India’s jumbo B747. the first flight has evacuated 324 Indians on Saturday and the next flight has evacuated 323 Indians and seven citizens of Maldives on Sunday.

The visitors from China and Hong Kong have already started being scanned by the government of India and has also been expanded to the travellers from Singapore and as well as Thailand.

The coronavirus is said to have infected around 15,000 people and has killed several number of patients. The coronovirus has spread across 25 countries that includes India.

Two cases of the people infected by coronavirus have been recorded in India. Both the cases have been recorded from Kerala and are said to be the individuals who have a travel history from China in recent days.

The government of India is taking several safety measures in order to stop the deadly coronavirus from spreading. The citizens of India who have been evacuated have been asked to undergo several health checkups before boarding the flights and that they would have to be quarantined for fourteen days in special camps.

By Shrithika Kushangi