Indian expats in UAE asked to avoid travelling home
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Emirati men walk along the empty beachside boulevard of Jumeirah Beach Residence which is usually crowded, in the Gulf emirate of Dubai on March 12, 2020.
"Dubai: Indian expats in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been advised to avoid non-essential travel, including to their home country, in an effort to stop the spread of the novel corovairus.
Posting the latest advisory on Twitter, the Indian Consulate in Dubai said on Thursday: "All citizens and foreign nationals desiring to visit India may kindly see (the) latest guidelines issued by Govt. of India," reports Gulf News.
Consul General of India in Dubai told Gulf News on Thursday: "Given the situation, it is advisable for everyone to avoid non-essential travel right now, even to our home. There could be conditions for them (those who travel) to be quarantined."
He urged the Indian citizens in the UAE to take precautions to protect themselves and others, especially if they are travelling for emergency reasons.
"That is when you are likely to come into contact with affected people," he cautioned.
The UAE's move comes a day after the Indian government decided to suspend all visas, except those of officials and diplomats. India has confirmed 73 COVID-19 cases, with no deaths.
As of Thursday, the UAE has reported 74 coronavirus cases with no fatalities.
Globally, there has been an overall 124,979 confirmed cases, with 4,625 deaths.
The figure includes China, the country of origin of the virus.