(VIN): India on Thursday announced temporary suspension of its Vande Bharat flights from Britain due to the emergence of a new strain of the coronavirus.
Speaking during the weekly virtual press conference, Anurag Srivastava, ministry of external affairs spokesperson, said as many as 1,005 international flights had been operated under the latest phase as part of India’s Vande Bharat Mission, repatriating more than 40 lakh people from 27 countries.
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“Phase 8 Plus of this mission is currently operational since December 1. Under this phase, 1,005 international flights have been operated from 27 countries facilitating an estimated 1.8 lakh people. In terms of numbers, as on December 22, more than 40 lakh people have been facilitated under the Vande Bharat Mission,” he said.
On the flights to and from Britain, he said: “Due to emerging Covid-19 situation and the ensuing travel restrictions, there has been a temporary suspension of Vande Bharat flights from the UK.”
The Vande Bharat Mission started in early May to evacuate Indians stranded abroad due to coronavirus-induced travel restrictions.
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On December 20, Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson had informed the public that a new variant of the Covid-19 virus had been found in the country. The strain is reportedly 70 per cent more infectious than the one which caused the pandemic.
Johnson had tweeted: “Given the early evidence we have on this new variant of the virus, and the potential risk it poses, it is with a heavy heart that I must tell you we cannot continue with Christmas as planned.”
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