Germany lifts travel ban on tourists from India, UK, Portugal

New Delhi : Germany's health agency has announced that they have ended travel ban on tourists from India, United Kingdom and three other countries which were hit by the Delta variant of coronavirus.

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) said India, Nepal, Russia, Portugal and the UK, currently listed as so-called virus variant countries, would be reclassified from Wednesday as "high-incidence areas".

The travelers who are not German residents will be allowed to enter the nation if they follow covid-related quarantine and testing rules.

Germany introduced its "virus variant country" travel category in a bid to stop new coronavirus variants that have not yet spread widely on home soil.

But Health Minister Jens Spahn said last week that the Delta variant was fast becoming dominant in Germany, meaning that bans on most travellers from countries hit by that variant may be lifted.

Last month, Angela Merkel had hinted easing of strict rules for the travelers from Britain.