India may extend UK flight ban for a short period, says Hardeep Singh Puri

India is likely to extend the ban on flights from the UK for a short duration, following detection of six cases of the new Covid-19 strain, in the country.

“I foresee a slight extension of the temporary suspension,” said Hardeep Singh Puri, civil aviation minister, on Tuesday. The government announced a week-long suspension of flights between the UK and India, till December 31.

This was followed by tracking and testing of over 33,000 persons who had arrived from the UK between November 25 and December 23, as a part of a preventive strategy to contain the virus. Close to 11 passengers tested positive for Covid-19, with their samples sent to laboratories for genome sequencing.