Italy imposes travel ban from India over COVID variant

Italy’s Health Minister Roberto Speranza said the EU country is imposing restrictions on travel from India to avert the spread of a COVID-19 strain as the Asian giant struggles with a surge in infections.

While India is facing the deepest-ever health crisis, the countries decide to ban travel from the country, which is battling a “double mutant” strain of coronavirus.

Italy’s top health official wrote on Twitter he had signed an order barring foreign travellers who have been in India in the past 14 days from entering the country.

According to the strict rules, the Italian residents will be allowed to return from India with a negative test result at their departure and one at their arrival and then have to go into quarantine, Speranza explained the new measures. He added that those already in Italy and who travelled from India in the past 14 days were requested to undergo a swab.

“Our scientists are at work to study the new Indian variant,” the minister added.