Covid-19 outbreak: Air Asia flights to evacuate Indians from Kuala Lumpur

Indian students and other passengers stranded in Kuala Lumpur will be evacuated as Covid-19 cases surge in South Asia, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday

"Appreciate the difficult situation of Indian students and other passengers waiting in transit at Kuala Lumpur airport. We have now approved @AirAsia flights for you to Delhi and Vizag," the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted.

"These are tough times and you should understand the precautions. Please contact the airline," Jaishankar added.

Malaysian Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has announced some of the most far-reaching measures including locking down all travel in or out of the country in an effort to stem infections of COVID-19.

Foreign tourists and visitors will be restricted from entering the country. The sweeping travel ban comes as Malaysia reported 125 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 553, according to a tweet from Malaysia's Health Ministry.

On Sunday, the country reported 190 new cases. Most of the new infections from both days are linked to a religious rally that thousands attended near the capital Kuala Lumpur, the Health Ministry said.

The order also imposes a restriction on movements and public gatherings including a ban on all religious, sports, social, and cultural activities.

Fear is growing in Asia of the possibility of a second wave of infections from imported cases.

The continued acceleration of cases comes as countries around the world rush to implement emergency measures in an effort to contain the virus and enforce social distancing, including nationwide lockdowns, imposing border and travel restrictions, school closures and ordering restaurants, cafes, and bars to close or reduce services.

Countries such as China, South Korea, and Singapore have seen cases stabilise in recent weeks, thanks largely to a combination of aggressive containment and social distancing measures.

Tens of millions of people in mainland China and elsewhere in Asia were subjected to varying restrictions, with people unable to leave their homes or housing compounds, or go to work or school.

The novel coronavirus has infected more than 181,500 people and killed over 7,100 worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking cases reported by the World Health Organisation and additional sources.