FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER Simon Coveney has said that India will “likely” be added to Ireland’s mandatory hotel quarantine list of high-risk countries as its Covid-19 crisis deepens.

The south Asian nation is struggling to cope with a surge in coronavirus infections, today recording the world’s highest single-day increase in cases for a fourth day. 

Speaking this afternoon, Minister Coveney said the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is expected to recommend that India is added to the quarantine list and the government is “not going to hang about” after receiving that recommendation.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin earlier said that a decision will be taken early this week.

“We’ll follow up on that recommendation quickly and I’ll speak to [health minister] Stephen [Donnelly]. As is always the case when countries are recommended to be put on the mandatory hotel quarantine list, we consult with each other, and we act as quickly as we can,” Coveney said on This Week on RTÉ Radio 1.

I suspect, within the next 48 hours we’ll see that action.

Today, Italy joined other countries in imposing restrictions on travel from India in a bid to avert the spread of the B.1.617 variant of the virus that is prevalent in the Asian country.

Northern Ireland added it to its “red list” of countries on Tuesday in line with a UK-wide decision.

Irish health officials said early last week that three cases of the so-called “double mutant” Indian strain had been detected here.

Minister Coveney said that India is currently facing “huge challenges” and is a warning sign to the rest of the world. He added that Ireland is currently assessing how it could assist India, with particular emphasis on oxygen and ventilators.

“They need our help. They need the EU’s help, they need the US assisting as well. What’s unfolding in India at the moment, I think should be a warning sign to the rest of the world of just how devastating and tragic Covid can be,” Coveney said.