Omicron surge: Direct flights from UK banned in Kolkata from Jan 3

The government in India's West Bengal state today announced a ban on all direct flights from the United Kingdom to Kolkata starting from January 3, till further notice, following a sudden rise in the number of Omicron cases.

It also said passengers coming from other "non-at-risk" countries by international flights to West Bengal would have to mandatorily undergo a Covid-19 test on arrival at their own cost, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

"The airlines will randomly select 10 percent of the passengers for RT-PCR test and the balance 90 percent shall undergo Rapid Antigen Test at arrival," read a letter signed by West Bengal Home Secretary BP Gopalika to the Indian Civil Aviation Ministry Secretary Rajiv Bansal.

The number of Covid-19 cases in West Bengal between December 15 and 21 has gone up from 1,494 to 2,636.

So far 11 Omicron cases have been reported in the state.