MP: Alarm bells have been raised about the spread of the mutated coronavirus from India to Iran
A member of the National Security Commission of the Iranian Parliament announced that the "alarm bell" of the spread of the mutant strain of the coronavirus from India to Iran had been "sounded", emphasizing the need to immediately stop travel between Iran and India.
Ebrahim Azizi told ISNA news agency on Monday, April 26, that "we must confront all communications through which the virus may enter the country."
Criticizing the approach of the government and the National Task Force to Combat Corona, he said, "Usually, the Corona Task Force expresses its problems after people encounter them and then thinks about what to do."
In recent days, along with the coronavirus crisis in India, concerns have increased about the arrival of a new strain of the virus in Iran and the worsening of the current situation.
On Saturday, May 24, the Civil Aviation Organization announced the cancellation of all flights to India and Pakistan, and from these countries to Iran until further notice. However, some domestic media outlets are reporting that tickets to India are still being sold. According to a report published by ISNA news agency on Monday, tickets for flights from Tehran to Delhi and vice versa are being sold on some sites for between eight and 131 million tomans.
Mohammad Hassan Dhibakhsh, spokesman for the Civil Aviation Organization, responded to this news by announcing action against offending agencies and said that there is no problem in purchasing tickets as reservations for the coming months.
Mr. Zibakhsh also said about citizens' travel to India from other routes that travelers can travel to India and other countries that are currently banned from traveling to, via Turkey or Dubai, but they have no option to enter the country upon their return.
Abolghasem Jalali, Deputy Director of International Affairs at the Civil Aviation Organization, has also said that all flight permits "from" and "to" India and Pakistan have been canceled, and if tickets are purchased, the amount will be fully refunded to passengers.
However, according to reports, some airline agencies have told their customers that they will be sold tickets to Delhi if they provide a negative coronavirus test.
In recent days, the number of daily coronavirus infections in India has exceeded 300,000, which is an unprecedented number in the world.
This increase in numbers occurred following the outbreak of a new mutant type of coronavirus in the country, which, according to Indian experts, is more contagious and lethal than previous strains.
Kianoush Jahanpour, head of public relations for the Iranian Ministry of Health, said on Sunday, in response to a question related to increasing concerns about the mutated coronavirus in India, that the virus has not yet been seen in Iran, but "we must wait for its arrival."
Source: Radio Farda
