Coronavirus threat: China visas cancelled, no Defexpo team at Lucknow

LUCKNOW: With the novel coronavirus toll zooming past 425, India on Tuesday cancelled all visas granted after January 15 to Chinese nationals and foreigners travelling from that country.

“It is clarified that existing visas are no longer valid. Intending visitors may contact Embassy in Beijing (visa.beijing@mea.gov.in) or the Consulates in Shanghai (Ccons.shanghai@mea.gov.in) and Guangzhou (Visa.guangzhou@mea.gov.in) to apply afresh for an Indian visa,” the Indian embassy in Beijing tweeted.

The embassy also directed all persons who have arrived from China after January 15 to contact the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

“All those who are already in India (with regular or e-visa) and had traveled from China after January 15 are requested to contact the hotline number of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of Government of India (+91-11-23978046 and email: ncov2019@gmail.com),” the embassy tweeted.

The virus scare also hit the Defence Expo 2020, to be held in Lucknow from Wednesday, with the Uttar Pradesh administration dropping the Chinese delegation from the event.

To be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the expo is expected to draw leaders of 40 countries like Mexico, UAE and South Korea.

Sources said the Chinese delegates for an Auto Expo — to be held in Greater Noida between February 7 and 12 — could also be dropped.

Meanwhile, Air India suspended its Delhi-Hong Kong flight from February 8 till March 28 after Hong Kong reported its first case of coronavirus death.

With this, all Indian airlines have suspended their flights to China. In all, 16 foreigners have been infected with the virus in China.

No infection in evacuees 

In all, 534 suspected cases have been tested in 12 labs in India. 160 of them are in quarantine centres in Delhi-NCR for those evacuated from Wuhan; all of them tested negative for the virus