UK flight ban likely to be extended: Puri

Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday that India is likely to extend the ban on flights from Britain in a bid to contain the spread of a new strain of coronavirus.

India had suspended all flights from Britain last week until the end of the month as the new variant of the virus detected in the United Kingdom triggered widespread concern and travel restrictions across the world.

The Union health ministry said on Tuesday all international passengers who have arrived in India during the last 14 days - from December 9 to December 22 this year, if symptomatic and tested positive for the coronavirus disease will have to undergo genome sequencing.