Despite the outbreak of a deadly variant of COVID-19 in major cities in India, many Nigerians are still jostling to get visas to the South Asian country. Findings revealed the consular dept of the Indian High Commission was still receiving huge number of applications from prospective Nigerian travellers.

One of our correspondents, who was at the Indian High Commission in Abuja during the week, saw many Nigerians waiting at the consular department for interviews. Sunday PUNCH also observed the consular staff taking biometrics of visa applicants while many Nigerian passports were seen lying on desks awaiting attention of consular officials.

The number of applications received by the mission could not be immediately ascertained. But a consular officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the high commission was very strict with granting visas on account of the outbreak of deadly variant of COVID-19 which has claimed thousands of lives in India. He said, “We are surprised many Nigerians are still coming for visas despite COVID-19 deaths in India. Many claim they are going for business or tourism but we are giving visas only to those with medical emergencies.

“Some of the applicants do not seem to have genuine reasons for travelling to India at this point in time, so we are enforcing strict rules in granting visas. Only those travelling for medical reasons stand great chances of getting our visa.”

When asked about likely importation of the mutant COVID-19 from India, spokesperson for the Nigeria Immigration Service, Sunday James, said, “The Nigeria Immigration Service is doing everything possible to ensure all protocols on COVID-19 are followed at the nation’s entry points. We are also committed to ensuring all those who do not report as stipulated in the protocols will have their passports revoked.”

Meanwhile, a fire in a COVID-19 hospital ward in western India killed 18 patients on Saturday, as the country grapples with a deadly second wave of the coronavirus, the Associated Press reported. The Asian country on Saturday set yet another daily global record with 401,993 new cases, taking its tally to more than 19.1 million. Another 3,523 people died in the past 24 hours, raising overall fatalities to 211,853, according to the country’s health ministry.

The fire broke out in a COVID-19 ward on the ground floor of the Welfare Hospital in Bharuch, a town in Gujarat State, and was extinguished within an hour, the police said, adding that the cause of the fire outbreak was being investigated. 31 other patients were rescued from the blaze by hospital workers and firefighters and their condition was stable, police stated.

A similar incident occurred in April in an intensive care unit when a fire killed 13 COVID-19 patients in the Virar area on the outskirts of Mumbai. In another incident, 12 COVID-19 patients, including a doctor, on high-flow oxygen died Saturday at the Batra Hospital in New Delhi after the hospital ran out of oxygen supply for 80 minutes. The hospital director, S Gupta, said the facility had been facing irregular oxygen supply from manufacturers for more than a week, but it exhausted it completely for the first time. Gupta said the hospital tank was refilled with enough oxygen for 12 hours and it would again be looking for replenishment.

Several nations such as the USA, Singapore, UAE and Bangkok have since been rendering medical and human support to India.

SOURCE (abridged): https://punchng.com/nigerians-jostle-for-indian-visas-despite-deadly-covid-19-variant-outbreak/

Aphonjas are trying to run away after electing the mannequin into power. Una goeth nowhere. We die here!!

Wetin dey india