The United Kingdom is banning direct passenger flights to and from the United Arab Emirates from today following the discovery of a more contagious variant of Coronavirus. The authorities said that they will be adding UAE, Burundi and Rwanda to the list of the travel ban.
On Thursday, UK Transport Minister Grant Shapps tweeted the shutting down of the world’s busiest international airline route - Dubai to London.
Today, Emirates and Etihad Airways would suspend all UK passenger flights from 1300 GMS when the ban takes effect. In a statement, the Dubai airport advised passengers booked on flights to UK after the ban comes into effect to not go to the airport and instead contact their airline. Also, the UK authorities advised British nationals currently in UAE to take indirect commercial airline routes to return to Britain.
Meanwhile, India records 18,855 fresh Covid-19 cases today taking the toll reported cases tally to 1,07,20,048 cases. Also, the death toll has reached 1,54,010 cases.
On Thursday, Kerala has recorded the highest number of active cases accounting for nearly 42 per cent of the overall 1.7 lakh active caseload. Maharashtra is just behind Kerala. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said, “The two states will have 40,000 or more active cases – Kerala with 72,000 cases and Maharashtra with 44,000 cases... Together these states also account for 67 per cent of all (active) cases.”
