India extends international flights ban till July 31

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) - India has extended the suspension of all scheduled international commercial passenger flights till July 31, an official order issued on Wednesday said.

The extension of flight restrictions came as new coronavirus cases and deaths overall have seen a decline in the country.

According to the new order by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the validity of the circular on the scheduled international commercial passenger services to and from India was extended till the end of the day on July 31.

The aviation authority, however, said “this restriction shall not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by DGCA” and "international scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on case to case basis.”

On Wednesday morning, India's Health Ministry figures revealed 45,951 COVID-19 cases were detected in the last 24 hours, taking the total mark to 30.3 million. It said daily fatalities declined to 817, while the overall death toll stood at 398,454.

After witnessing an unprecedented increase in the cases during the second wave in May, most parts of the country are now showing a decline in new infections and deaths.

The authorities on Tuesday gave nod for emergency use authorization to the US firm Moderna for its COVID-19 vaccine, clearing the way for its local partner Cipla to import the vaccine into the country.

The Health Ministry also said on Wednesday that the vaccination coverage in the country has exceeded 330 million doses.