Germany will shut out all travellers arriving from India apart from its own citizens, Health Minister Jens Spahn said Saturday, as a new variant has made the South Asian country the latest coronavirus hotspot.

"We're very worried about the new mutation of the virus discovered in India. So as not to endanger our vaccination programme, India travel has to be significantly limited," Spahn told the Funke newspaper group.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="Germany pulls virus 'emergency brake' but not all on board">Germany pulls virus 'emergency brake' but not all on board</a>

From Monday, only German citizens will be allowed to enter the country when arriving from India, he added.

As Spahn plans to designate India a "virus variant zone", travellers will have to be tested before departure for Germany and immediately enter a 14-day quarantine on arrival.

Berlin had already dubbed India a "zone with particularly high risk of infection" with effect from Sunday.

Germany is the latest of several countries to restrict travel from India over the new variant, following Canada, Britain and Kuwait.

On Saturday, India reported a record daily number of deaths from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a>, while the government is struggling to provide enough oxygen to overwhelmed hospitals.

A total of almost 190,000 people have died of coronavirus in India according to official figures.

Germany will shut out all travellers arriving from India apart from its own citizens, Health Minister Jens Spahn said Saturday, as a new variant has made the South Asian country the latest coronavirus hotspot.

Germany will shut out all travellers arriving from India apart from its own citizens, Health Minister Jens Spahn said Saturday, as a new variant has made the South Asian country the latest coronavirus hotspot. "We're very worried about the new mutation of the virus discovered in India. So as not to endanger our vaccination programme, India travel has to be significantly limited," Spahn told the Funke newspaper group. Also read | Germany pulls virus 'emergency brake' but not all on board From Monday, only German citizens will be allowed to enter the country when arriving from India, he added. As Spahn plans to designate India a "virus variant zone", travellers will have to be tested before departure for Germany and immediately enter a 14-day quarantine on arrival. Berlin had already dubbed India a "zone with particularly high risk of infection" with effect from Sunday. Germany is the latest of several countries to restrict travel from India over the new variant, following Canada, Britain and Kuwait. On Saturday, India reported a record daily number of deaths from COVID-19, while the government is struggling to provide enough oxygen to overwhelmed hospitals. A total of almost 190,000 people have died of coronavirus in India according to official figures.

Germany restricts travel from 'high-risk' India

Security staff at eight <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/german-airport-security-staff-strike-hits-over-600-flights-189440">German airports </a>went on strike on Tuesday in an escalating pay dispute that means up to 220,000 passengers could be affected by delays or cancellations, airport association ADV said.

Security workers at the smaller Hamburg, Hanover and Bremen airports downed tools from midnight while those at <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/germany-police-evacuates-frankfurt-airport-over-security-threat-157606">main hub Frankfurt</a> joined them two hours later, with a view to striking until 2000 local time (1900 GMT).

Strike action is also expected in Munich, Leipzig, Dresden and Erfurt, meaning hundreds of flights will be cancelled.

The latest walkouts follow strikes at five airports last week and were denounced by ADV as excessive.

Fraport, the operator of Frankfurt airport, expects 470 of around 1,200 connections to be hit.

Lufthansa said it would cancel around 500 flights, 28 of which are intercontinental. Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings said 120 out of 700 flights would be affected.

Munich airport said that although Verdi called for action there as well, passenger security checks are carried out by a public-sector contractor whose workers would not strike. But some flights to and from airports affected by the walkout would be cancelled, it said.

Verdi is in wage negotiations on behalf of 23,000 security workers in Germany.

Talks with employers are due to resume on Jan. 23.

Security staff at eight German airports went on strike on Tuesday in an escalating pay dispute that means up to 220,000 passengers could be affected by delays or cancellations, airport association ADV said.

Security staff at eight German airports went on strike on Tuesday in an escalating pay dispute that means up to 220,000 passengers could be affected by delays or cancellations, airport association ADV said. Security workers at the smaller Hamburg, Hanover and Bremen airports downed tools from midnight while those at main hub Frankfurt joined them two hours later, with a view to striking until 2000 local time (1900 GMT). Strike action is also expected in Munich, Leipzig, Dresden and Erfurt, meaning hundreds of flights will be cancelled. The latest walkouts follow strikes at five airports last week and were denounced by ADV as excessive. Fraport, the operator of Frankfurt airport, expects 470 of around 1,200 connections to be hit. Lufthansa said it would cancel around 500 flights, 28 of which are intercontinental. Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings said 120 out of 700 flights would be affected. Munich airport said that although Verdi called for action there as well, passenger security checks are carried out by a public-sector contractor whose workers would not strike. But some flights to and from airports affected by the walkout would be cancelled, it said. Verdi is in wage negotiations on behalf of 23,000 security workers in Germany. Talks with employers are due to resume on Jan. 23.

Germany's Frankfurt airport security staff begin one-day strike

Almost 640 flights were cancelled in Germany Thursday as security staff went on strike at three airports, meaning disruption for around 100,000 passengers.

The number of flights blocked was more than half the 1,050 scheduled for Duesseldorf, Cologne-Bonn and Stuttgart.

Duesseldorf -- the country's third-largest airport -- said in a statement that 370 of Thursday's 580 planned departures had to be cancelled.

News agency DPA reported that the walkout, slated to last from 3:00 am (0200 GMT) to midnight (1100 GMT), was expected to affect around 100,000 travellers.

At Cologne-Bonn, where 131 of almost 200 flights were cancelled, union Verdi told DPA the security strike was also slowing freight handling.

The knock-on effects of the walkout also triggered flight cancellations at Munich airport, which is already grappling with disruptions caused by inclement weather.

Representing 23,000 airport security staff across Germany, Verdi is demanding a pay increase to 20 euros ($23.08) per hour.&nbsp;

Wages currently vary nationwide, with workers in some airports in eastern Germany earning around 14 euros hourly, compared with just over 17 euros for their peers in the capital and western parts of the country.

Employers' association BDLS meanwhile is offering increases of between two and 6.4 per cent.

Passengers' first taste of the pay dispute came Monday when Berlin's two airports Tegel and Schoenefeld suffered "warning strikes" with around 50 departures cancelled.

The next round of Verdi and BDLS negotiations will take place on January 23.

Almost 640 flights were cancelled in Germany Thursday as security staff went on strike at three airports, meaning disruption for around 100,000 passengers. The number of flights blocked was more than half the 1,050 scheduled for Duesseldorf, Cologne-Bonn and Stuttgart.

Almost 640 flights were cancelled in Germany Thursday as security staff went on strike at three airports, meaning disruption for around 100,000 passengers. The number of flights blocked was more than half the 1,050 scheduled for Duesseldorf, Cologne-Bonn and Stuttgart. Duesseldorf -- the country's third-largest airport -- said in a statement that 370 of Thursday's 580 planned departures had to be cancelled. News agency DPA reported that the walkout, slated to last from 3:00 am (0200 GMT) to midnight (1100 GMT), was expected to affect around 100,000 travellers. At Cologne-Bonn, where 131 of almost 200 flights were cancelled, union Verdi told DPA the security strike was also slowing freight handling. The knock-on effects of the walkout also triggered flight cancellations at Munich airport, which is already grappling with disruptions caused by inclement weather. Representing 23,000 airport security staff across Germany, Verdi is demanding a pay increase to 20 euros ($23.08) per hour. Wages currently vary nationwide, with workers in some airports in eastern Germany earning around 14 euros hourly, compared with just over 17 euros for their peers in the capital and western parts of the country. Employers' association BDLS meanwhile is offering increases of between two and 6.4 per cent. Passengers' first taste of the pay dispute came Monday when Berlin's two airports Tegel and Schoenefeld suffered "warning strikes" with around 50 departures cancelled. The next round of Verdi and BDLS negotiations will take place on January 23.

German airport security staff strike hits over 600 flights

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Germany restricts travel from 'high-risk' India

Germany's Frankfurt airport security staff begin one-day strike

German airport security staff strike hits over 600 flights