We announce no regular flights are allowed. (Shipments of) Cargo are possible, but only selected cargo since we need cargo (moving) from India to Indonesia, including vaccinesJakarta (ANTARA) -
The Indonesian government has imposed a temporary ban on flights from India, as a precautionary measure against COVID-19 transmission, following a spike in infections in the South Asian country.
"We announce no regular flights are allowed. (Shipments of) Cargo are possible, but only selected cargo since we need cargo (moving) from India to Indonesia, including vaccines," Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said at an online press conference in Jakarta on Friday.
Only Soekarno-Hatta, Samratulangi, Juanda, and Kualanamu airports will serve flights from and to India, he informed.
He said further details on the temporary flight ban will be provided in a circular from the director general of immigration.
Director general of immigration, Jhoni Ginting, assured it will not take long to formulate a regulation on the temporary flight ban since Indonesia has earlier prohibited flights to several countries, such as South Korea, Italy, and Iran.
"We will issue a circular, especially for Indian citizens, and other citizens who have stayed in India for 14 days," he said.
The flight ban is temporary and the directorate general of immigration will monitor the escalation of coronavirus cases and the development of herd immunity in India, in coordination with the Health Ministry and the Foreign Ministry, he added.
India is one of the countries experiencing a third wave of coronavirus infections. As of April 22, 2021, India has reported 314,835 fresh infections, taking its total tally to 15,930,965. So far, 184,657 people have succumbed to the infection in the country.
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Translator: Kuntum Khaira R/Suharto
Editor: Gusti Nur Cahya Aryani
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