Italy Tightens Travel Rules; 23 Passengers From India Test Covid Positive

Tests have not yet confirmed if those who tested positive on the Indian flight into Rome's Fiumicino airport Wednesday have the Indian variant of coronavirus

Italy on Thursday tightened the rules on people arriving from coronavirus-hit India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, while extending quarantine regulations for Europeans. A devastating surge in cases of Covid-19 in India prompted Italy on Sunday to ban arrivals from the country, although legal residents were allowed home subject to testing and quarantine. Twenty-three people on a flight that landed in Rome from India late Wednesday tested positive for coronavirus, out of 213 passengers and 10 crew, regional authorities announced. Under new rules announced Thursday by Health Minister Roberto Speranza, however, only Italian citizens are allowed in from India -- a rule extended to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.