Turkey halts flights from SL and 5 others due to COVID variants

ISTANBUL (Reuters): Turkey has halted flights and all direct travel from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Brazil, South Africa, India and Nepal due to new variants of the coronavirus, the Turkish Interior Ministry said on Monday.

Those who arrive from other places but have been in the countries listed within the last 14 days will need to show a negative PCR test within a maximum of 72 hours before entry and they will need to quarantine for 14 days, it said.

Those arriving from Pakistan and Afghanistan or who have been there in the last 14 days will need to quarantine in Turkey for 10 days upon arrival, it said.

Those coming from the United Kingdom, Iran, Egypt and Singapore will need to show a negative PCR test within 72 hours prior to arrival, the ministry added.