Australia halts direct flights from India till May 15 amid explosive COVID surge

New Delhi: Australia on Tuesday announced a temporary ban on all direct flights from India amid an unprecedented surge in Coronavirus infections.

The suspension, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said, will last until May 15 and then the decision will be reviewed.

He said indirect flights through other cities like Doha, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur had been paused by their respective governments.

Meanwhile, in the wake of acute shortage medical supplies, Australia would help India with a range of goods.

The country is also expected to send 500 ventilators, 1 million surgical masks, 500,000 P2 and N95 masks, 100,000 goggles, 100,000 pairs of gloves and 20,000 face shields.

India registered 3,23,144 fresh cases of COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the country’s tally to 1,76,36,307. (UNI)