Flights to and from India and Pakistan have been suspended as of April 25 due to the spread of the new mutations of the coronavirus in these countries, according to the spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran.
“All flights to these two countries will remain suspended until further notice,” Mohammad Hassan Zibakhsh was quoted as saying by IRNA.
The official noted that with the addition of India and Pakistan, the number of countries with which flights have been suspended or restricted has reached 41.
Apart from India and Pakistan, the countries involved include France, Albania, Andorra, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bahrain, Brazil, Botswana, the Czech Republic, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Hungary, Iraq, Ireland, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Jordan, Kosovo, Malta, Malawi, Moldova, Montenegro, Mozambique, North Macedonia, Palestine, Saint Lucia, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, South Africa, Sweden, Seychelles, Syria, Tanzania, Zambia and the UAE.
As per regulations set by the National Coronavirus Headquarters, before boarding the restricted flights, all passengers over the age of 8 en route to Iran are required to carry a RT-PCR test result issued by authorized laboratories and translated into English, proving they are Covid-free.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged all citizens to take Covid-19 vaccines and exercise caution, saying a "storm" of infections has shaken the country.
India has reported more than 300,000 new cases each day for the past four days, more than anywhere else in the world since the pandemic began, piling pressure on the public health system, Reuters reported.
"Our spirits were high after successfully dealing with the first wave," Modi said in a radio address. "But this storm has shaken the nation."
Meanwhile, Pakistan on Saturday reported its highest Covid-19 death toll in a single day.
Authorities reported 157 deaths, bringing the overall fatalities to 16,999. A total of 5,908 additional cases pushed the toll to 790,016, as authorities complain of routine violations of social distancing and mask-wearing rules, AP reported.
Premier Imran Khan on Friday announced that military troops will be called to help police enforce the restrictions in public places.
Authorities also decided to keep educational institutions closed until the situation improved.
