US reissues travel advisory; urges Americans not to travel to India

The US has reissued its travel advisory on India, urging its citizens not to travel to the country due to an unprecedented surge in the COVID-19 cases there.

India is struggling with a second wave of the pandemic with more than 3,00,000 daily new coronavirus cases being reported in the past few days, and hospitals are reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds.

Do not travel to India due to COVID-19. Exercise increased caution due to crime and terrorism, the State Department said on Wednesday in its latest travel advisory that looked identical to the one issued on April 28.

Both the travel advisory has been marked 'Level 4' which is the highest warning level.

On April 28, the Department approved the voluntary departure of family members of US government employees.

On May 5, the Department approved the voluntary departure of non-emergency US government employees.

US citizens who wish to depart India should take advantage of available commercial transportation options, it said.

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for India due to COVID-19, indicating a very high level of COVID-19 in the country.

A record 3,780 fresh COVID-19 fatalities were registered in a single day in India taking the death toll to 2,26,188, while 3,82,315 new coronavirus infections were recorded, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday. With the fresh cases, the total tally of COVID-19 cases in the country climbed to 2,06,65,148.