US to restrict travel from India amid coronavirus surge

U.S. to restrict travel from India effective May 4 as Covid surge devastates the country The Biden administration will restrict travel from India as that country grapples with a surge in coronavirus cases, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. Kevin Breuninger CNBC

The Biden administration will restrict travel from India as that country grapples with a gigantic surge in coronavirus cases, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday.

The policy will take effect Tuesday, May 4, Psaki said in a statement. The administration made the decision on the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, she said.

While Covid infections and deaths have been on the decline in the U.S. as millions of Americans get vaccinated each day, India is in the grip of an unprecedented spike in cases.

India reported record daily death tolls from Covid on Wednesday and Thursday. The country is averaging about 3,050 Covid deaths per day, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, though media reports indicate the official figure is being understated.

India has reported an average of about 357,000 new cases per day over the past seven days — up about 26% from a week ago, Johns Hopkins data shows.

The country is battling a highly contagious Covid variant, known as B.1.617, which was first spotted there. The variant, which contains two key mutations that have been found separately in other coronavirus strains, is believed by some to be behind the latest wave of infections.

The variant has since been identified in other countries, including the United States.

There are few nonstop flights between the U.S. and India. United Airlines is the only major U.S. carrier operating nonstop service between the two countries, with four daily departures to India. Air India has a similar number scheduled for next month, according to aviation data firm Cirium.

The new travel order isn’t expected to ban flights, but rather non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents who have recently been in India — a similar format as restrictions that have been placed on much travel from the EU, China and Brazil, according to a person familiar with the matter. ...