India virtually closed its borders, suspending all existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/International Organizations, employment, project visas, till April 15. Till that date, OCI travellers too cannot travel to India, a group of ministers decided on Wednesday.

The complete lockdown would mean no foreign tourists can enter India for the next more than a month, affecting an already stressed economy. In April 2019 7,71,353 foreign tourists came to India, according to data from the ministry of tourism. Several sporting events including IPL and the India Open badminton tournament are also scheduled to start this month.

In a statement, the ministry of health said: “All existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/International Organizations, employment, project visas, stand suspended till 15th April 2020. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on 13th March 2020 at the port of departure. Visa free travel facility granted to OCI card holders is kept in abeyance till April 15th 2020. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on 13th March 2020 at the port of departure. Any foreign national who intends to travel to India for compelling reason may contact the nearest Indian Mission.”

The country is all set to invoke provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 in the battle against Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). During a review meeting chaired by cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba it was proposed that to ensure that “advisories” issued by the ministry of health are enforceable, states should invoke Section 2 of the Act. The Act has in the past been invoked by various states to tackle various diseases including swine flu and dengue.

Section 2 of the Act says: “When at any time the [State Government] is satisfied that [the State] or any part thereof is visited by, or threatened with, an outbreak of any dangerous epidemic disease, the [State Government], if [it] thinks that the ordinary provisions of the law for the time being in force are insufficient for the purpose, may take, or require or empower any person to take, such measures and, by public notice, prescribe such temporary regulations to be observed by, the public or by any person or class of persons as [it] shall deem necessary to prevent the outbreak of such disease or the spread thereof, and may determine in what manner and by whom any expenses incurred (including compensation if any) shall be defrayed.”

The special powers of the government include the inspection of persons travelling by railway or other means of transport, and the segregation, in hospital, temporary accommodation of persons suspected by the inspecting officer of being infected. The British era Act, among the shortest legislations in the country, was framed to control “dangerous epidemic diseases”. Health, according to the Indian Constitution is a state subject.

A government statement said: “It was decided that all States/UTs should be advised by MoHFW to invoke provisions of Section 2 of Epidemic Disease Act, 1897 so that all advisories being issued from time to time by the Ministry of Health Family Welfare/State/UTs are enforceable.”

Eighty three people arrived from Italy on AI flight AI138 on Thursday. They have been quarantined at the Indian Army facility at Manesar. Of these 74 are Indian nationals ,six are Italians and three are US nationals).

In a separate order invoking the National Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Union home ministry delegated health secretary Preeti Sudan modal authority for coordination, monitoring, preparation and implementation of a national disaster management plan. She will also evaluate the preparedness at all governmental levels for the purpose of responding to any threatening disaster situation or disaster and give directions, where necessary, for enhancing such preparedness. The order which delegates the powers of the National Executive Committee of the NDMA to the Union health secretary comes into effect from January 17 – the date of the first advisory issued by the health ministry in the wake of the corona outbreak.

Confirming the eight new novel coronavirus (COVID 2019) cases reported in Kerala and two fresh positive cases — one each in Rajasthan and Delhi — the Union health ministry said on Wednesday that the total number of cases detected across the country has risen to 60. This includes the three who were discharged in Kerala last month.

Meanwhile, amid concern over the Centre’s circular barring the return of Indians from COVID-hit countries unless they produce a certificate that proves they have tested negative, the government is preparing to send a medical team to Italy to test Indians stranded there ahead of their evacuation. The GoM met on Wednesday and decided: “All incoming travellers, including Indian nationals, arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain and Germany after 15th February, 2020 shall be quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on 13th March 2020 at the port of departure.”

Indian nationals have been “strongly advised” to avoid non-essential travel. On their return, they can be subjected to quarantine for a minimum of 14 days. International traffic through land borders will be restricted to designated check posts with robust screening facilities, to be notified by the ministry of home affairs.

Speaking in Rajya Sabha, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said: “…as the coronavirus is so strong in Italy, we wanted people boarding a flight to have a COVID-free certificate. Now, it has been difficult for people to get that in the Italian system, because the Italian system is busy treating patients in Italy. So, we are hoping, by tomorrow, to fly in a medical team to Italy, just as we have flown into Iran. We will do the testing of those people and try and put them on early flights thereafter.”

Outlining the government’s efforts for evacuating Indians from China and from the cruise ship Diamond Princess, he said: “Our focus has since shifted to Iran, in view of the sharp increase of coronavirus in that country… There are over 6,000 Indian nationals in various provinces of Iran. These include about 1,100 pilgrims, mainly from Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra; nearly 300 students, primarily from Jammu and Kashmir; about 1,000 fishermen, including from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat; and others who are on longer term stay in Iran for pursuing their livelihood and religious studies.”

Many of the Indians are in Qom, among the worst-hit areas, he said. The first batch of 58 Indians – 25 men, 31 women and 2 children – were evacuated from Iran on Tuesday. All of them are asymptomatic so far. A second batch of 529 samples of Indians in Iran has also been received. So far, the government has evacuated 948 passengers from COVID-affected countries.

The health ministry has reiterated that passengers with travel history to China, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Italy, Thailand, Singapore, Iran, Malaysia, France, Spain and Germany should undergo self-imposed quarantine for 14 days from the date of their arrival, and their employers should facilitate work-from-home during this period.

The Union ministry of road transport and highways has also issued an advisory: “The hygiene and sanitation may be stepped up at all the bus terminals and the display of public health messages may be ensured on public transport vehicles, bus terminals and bus stops. The ministry has requested that states/UTs to take expeditious action and mobilise all necessary support in this regard.”