Coronavirus impact: MEA appoints additional secretary level rank official as nodal officer

After the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the novel Coronavirus outbreak a 'pandemic' on Wednesday, the Ministry of External Affairs appointed an additional secretary level rank official as nodal officer to coordinate efforts at the global level regarding the spread of COVID-19. India has reported at least 67 confirmed cases while worldwide, the toll has crossed 1.2 lakh. The disease has killed nearly 4,000 people across the world.

READ | Coronavirus: Govt Issues New Travel Restrictions; Suspends Visas For All Foreign Nationals

Centre issues new travel restrictions

In a move to contain the rapid spread of coronavirus cases in the country, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare on Wednesday issued an advisory that all existing visas, barring diplomatic, UN/International Organisations, employment and project visas, will stand suspended till April 15, 2020. This move will come into effect from Friday at the port of departure. This advisory also applies for people with visa-free travel, and to OCI cardholders, whose visa-free access will be temporarily suspended with effect from March 13, 2020.

The statement also specified that all incoming travellers, including Indian nationals, arriving from Coronavirus-affected countries, namely, China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain, and Germany after February 15, 2020, will have to undergo a minimum 14-day period of mandatory quarantine. 

READ | Coronavirus Outbreak: Nagpur Confirms First Case, Maharashtra Toll At 11

WHO declares coronavirus outbreak pandemic

WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic as the pathogen rapidly spread to more than 121,000 people from Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America. Speaking to reporters in Geneva, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned of a further rise in the number of cases, the number of deaths and the number of affected countries. The last a pandemic was declared was in 2009, during the H1N1 swine flu outbreak.

READ | WHO Declares Coronavirus Outbreak As A 'Pandemic', Implores Nations To Take Action

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(PTI photo)