By Renju Jose
SYDNEY, April 27 (Reuters) – Australia is ready to think about a proposal on Tuesday to droop flights from India to forestall extra virulent coronavirus variants getting into the nation following a surge in optimistic COVID-19 circumstances on this planet’s second-most populous nation.
Queensland state has urged the federal authorities to halt all flights from India because of the excessive danger of potential COVID-19 outbreaks from extremely contagious virus variants within the nation’s resort quarantine system.
“I despatched a letter to the Prime Minister on the finish of final week asking for the suspension of flights coming in from India … and I do know that the federal authorities is contemplating it right this moment,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk instructed the Australian Broadcasting Corp on Tuesday.
Australia’s nationwide safety committee will meet afterward Tuesday to think about halting flights from India and also will unveil measures together with sending medical provides to assist India, Australian media reported.
The prime minister’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to requests looking for feedback on the reviews.
Final week, Australia introduced it could lower the variety of its residents in a position to return from India and different red-zone international locations to include the chance of extra virulent strains of COVID-19 spreading.
India has ordered its armed forces to assist deal with the COVID-19 disaster, as nations together with Britain, Germany and the US pledged pressing medical assist to attempt to include an emergency overwhelming the nation’s hospitals.
On Monday, India reported greater than 352,000 new COVID-19 circumstances, a world file for the rise in every day circumstances for the fifth straight day, eclipsing even the US on the top of its pandemic final 12 months. Greater than 2,800 deaths have been recorded over the past 24 hours, an all-time excessive.
Australia closed its borders to non-citizens and everlasting residents final March to forestall the brand new coronavirus reaching the nation. All returning travellers should endure a compulsory two-week resort quarantine at their very own expense.
The quarantine system has largely helped Australia to maintain its COVID-19 numbers comparatively low, with slightly below 29,700 circumstances and 910 deaths.
(Reporting by Renju Jose; modifying by Richard Pullin)
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