U.S. State Department Urges Americans in India to Leave Now
A flight information display system at the drop-off point of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, as the country relaxed its lockdown restriction on May 26, 2020 in Delhi, India. Yawar Nazir/Getty Images

The U.S. State Department urged Americans who are in India to leave the country immediately. The department's call comes as India's COVID-19 crisis continues to worsen.

The department has issued a Level 4 travel advisory, which is the highest alert of its kind, advising U.S. citizens not to travel to India, Daily Mail reported.

U.S. State Department Encourages Americans to Leave India

The State Department announced the call on Twitter and the website, saying that access to medical care in India is severely limited due to the high number of COVID-19 cases.

Moreover, the department said that COVID-19 tests in the country are constrained in many locations. The department further noted that U.S. citizens present in India were reported to be turned away by healthcare providers in some cities because of the lack of space.

The travel advisory comes as positive cases in the country surged, with deaths accounting for about 200,000 this week, New York Post reported. Experts believed that a "lethal virus variant" is behind the surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths in the country.

"U.S. citizens wishing to depart should use available commercial options now," the State Department tweeted.

The department added that there are available direct flights to the U.S. and via Paris and Frankfurt. Daily Mail reported that there are 14 available direct flights between the United States and India.

CDC and India

Apart from the State Department, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice.

CDC has included India among the countries that are in the list of Level 4 Travel Health Notice. Other countries included in the list are Canada, Philippines, Colombia, Brazil, Honduras, and France, among others. The CDC noted that travelers should avoid all travel to these destinations.

"All air passengers coming to the United States including U.S. citizens, are required to have negative COVID-19 test result," the CDC said in their new guidelines, adding that the result should not be issued more than three days before traveling.

The agency also pointed out that individuals can also use documentation of recovery from the disease before boarding a flight to the United States.

The guidance also covers those who are fully vaccinated. Viral testing is also encouraged to both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals three to five days after traveling.

Obeying the state rules and guidelines is also expected to be done.

"Hospitals (in India) are reporting shortages of supplies, oxygen, and beds for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related patients," the State Department said in their statement.

Some states in India have already implemented curfews and other restrictions limiting mobility and non-essential businesses.

"During an emergency, the U.S. government may have very limited ability to provide assistance," the State Department stressed as it encouraged Americans to leave and avoid traveling to India.

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