Philippines extends travel ban on India, 9 other nations
Darpan News Desk IANS, 13 Aug, 2021 11:07 AM
Manila, Aug 13 (IANS) The Philippines has extended its travel ban for all inbound travellers from India and nine other nations until August 31 as cases of the Covid-19 Delta variant have continued to spike across the Southeast Asian country, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Friday.
The Delta variant has spread in the Philippines, where 627 cases have been reported, including 11 deaths, reports Xinhua news agency.
Aside from India where the Delta variant was first detected, the Philippines also banned travellers from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
However, the country allows returning overseas Filipino workers under its repatriation program, but they will be isolated for 14 days upon the arrival.
The Philippines is grappling with soaring Covid-19 infections fueled by the highly transmissible Delta variant, prompting the government to re-impose a hard lockdown in Metro Manila and other regions.
The Philippines now has more than 1.7 million confirmed Covid-19 cases, with 29,539 deaths.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday evening ordered withdrawal of all power regulatory restrictions that were imposed on industries across the state to meet the power crisis.
The Chief Minister also ordered opening of bars, cinema halls, restaurants, spas, swimming pools, gyms, malls, sports complexes, museums, zoos, etc., subject to all eligible staff members and visitors having taken at least one dose each of the vaccine.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday received the first copy of the book ‘The Ramayana of Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, penned by late Baljit Kaur Tulsi, the mother of noted lawyer K.T.S. Tulsi.
Two Pakistani terrorists were killed and two soldiers martyred after an infiltration bid was foiled by the Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, army officials said on Thursday.
