The uncontrollable outbreak of the deadly coronavirus has so far affected tourism, economy and many other sectors in China. The government has made an announcement on February 5, 2020 that the existing visas will not be valid for any of the foreign nationals who are travelling from China. A revised travel advisory has been issued on the matter. Steps are being taken for appropriate management of the spread of coronavirus and for this a high-level meeting was hosted by the Cabinet- secretary.
The meeting was also attended by the secretaries of health and family welfare, civil aviation, external affairs, pharma, department of health research, army and defense, commerce and others. The fresh travel advisory has mentioned that the existing visas which are held by the foreign nationals or who have also been issued the e-visas are no longer valid for the people who are travelling from China. The advisory had insisted that people refrain from travelling to China and that the travelers who are returning from a neighboring country could be quarantined.
This means that the foreign nationals who are in China have to contact the Embassy in Beijing to apply for fresh visas. This specifically applies for the Indian nationals. The government has provided with hotline numbers for assistance along with a dedicated email address where people can send in their queries.
The outbreak of coronavirus is spreading like wildfire in China and had originated in Wuhan. Reports say that the actual source was from a wet market in Wuhan, which has now been shut down. The Indian government has evacuated a few hundreds of Indians from Wuhan, who have been quarantined at a dedicated hospital in India, where special arrangements have been made for a full checkup. They will have to be quarantined for about 15 days before they are allowed to return back to their homes. India has confirmed a few cases of coronavirus so far.
Photo Credits: The NY Times
