India is finally recovering from a couple of devastating months as the global center of the new coronavirus variant – the Delta variant. It brought the country’s health care system nearly to collapse.
Luckily, those times are over. The pandemic in India is now relatively under control. The CDC considers India a country with moderate COVID-19 transmission – orange. Yet, traveling to India for leisure is still banned.
The country closed its borders and halted most flights at the beginning of the pandemic. To date, only Indian nationals and people from certain countries on special visas can go.
Latest updates
October 13 – Active coronavirus cases lowest in 214 days
India is finally recovering from the spring spike in coronavirus cases. On October 13, the country reported 207,653 active cases, the lowest in 214 days, while daily infections have stood below 30,000 for the last 19 consecutive days.
As a result, the daily positivity rate now sits at 1,19 percent. On the other hand, the recovery rate is at 98,06 percent.
Also, over 96,43 million COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in India. That means at least 51,7% of the country’s population has received as least one dose of the vaccine.
Source: Times of India
Stats & current COVID-19 situation
Since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, India has reported nearly 34 million COVID-19 cases. At least 450,963 of them have resulted in death.
At the moment, there are about 207,653 active cases and around 19,000 new infections daily.
Coronavirus hotpots in India
Vaccination progress in India
India’s vaccination program started off with frontline healthcare workers, followed by vulnerable groups. Since May 1, all those aged 18 and above are also eligible to get their shot. Whereas 12+ children will be most likely able to get vaccinated this month.
As of October 13, 51,7% of the country’s adult population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. But only around a fifth of Indians have been vaccinated fully.
The vaccination rate is uneven across the state. The most populated state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India has managed to give at least one dose to only 40,9% of its citizens. On the other hand, a less populated state like Himachal Pradesh has given at least one shot to nearly every adult.
Who can travel to India
As mentioned above, India is still closed for tourism. Only returning Indians and Bhutanese and Nepalese nationals can enter the state. Also, those from certain countries who have other than tourist visas can go.
The United States, United Kingdom, and Canada have the strictest requirements. Only diplomats and those listed on the government memorandum can enter.
All incoming passengers must present a self-declaration form on the website of Air Suvidha and a negative COVID-19 test result no older than 72 hours. They also have to quarantine for 14 days.
Moreover, those arriving from the U.K. or the Middle East must provide their 14-day travel history and undergo further testing on arrival.
The latest information about India opening its borders can be found here.
Why visit India?
We will have to wait for a little while more to visit India. However, there is definitely plenty of things to be looking forward to. From diverse landscapes and rich history to worldwide-known food and colorful culture, India is a country that should not be missed on any travelers’ bucket list.