US tells citizens to leave India as Covid-19 overwhelms hospitals

Department of State issues its highest travel advisory, asks citizens not to travel to India.

The U.S. government told its citizens to leave India as soon as possible because of the country’s escalating Covid-19 crisis.

In a Level 4 travel advisory --- the highest issued by the Department of State -- U.S. citizens were told “not to travel to India or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so.” There are 14 direct daily flights between India and the U.S. and other services that connect through Europe, the department said.

Indian authorities and hospitals are struggling to cope with record Covid-19 infections and deaths. Official data on Wednesday showed new infections rose by 360,960