Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency is reporting the country’s civil aviation agency has banned all flights to and from Pakistan and India because of the dramatic surge in coronavirus cases in the two nations.

IRNA says the decision was made by Iran’s Health Ministry and it takes effect Saturday at midnight.

Mohammad Hassan Zibakhsh, spokesman for Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization noted there are no routine flights between Iran and India and “flights are operated occasionally.”

Several other countries in the region, including the sheikhdoms of the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Kuwait, also have banned flights to and from India over the rise in coronavirus cases there. 

Zibakhsh said flights to and from 41 countries already were prohibited in Iran, while those who want to fly to other countries listed as high risk are required to have a coronavirus test in Iran. Travellers over eight years old need to submit a negative PCR test within 96 hours of departure and do another test on arrival.

The Health Ministry confirmed the decision. It said that so far there have only been individual reported cases of the variant from India, which is known to scientists as B.1.617.

Germany only added India to the list of “high incidence areas” on Friday, due to the surge in Covie-19 cases reported there.

Several flights from India were due to arrive at Frankfurt airport Sunday.