US President Joe Biden has imposed travel restrictions on India, barring the entry of non-US citizens in the United States. The development came through a proclamation that will take effect on Tuesday, May 4 at 12:01 am ET (0401 GMT).

The decision was made on the advice of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and was imposed because “the magnitude and scope of the COVID-19 pandemic” in India was ‘surging,’ the White House said.

It said, “India accounts for over one-third of new global cases. Proactive measures are required to protect the nation's public health from travelers entering the United States from India.”

The new US administration had issued a similar decree in January, banning the entry of non-US citizens who had recently been in South Africa. He also renewed the ban on all non-citizens coming from Brazil, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and 26 countries in Europe that allow travel across open borders. China and Iran are also covered by the policy.

The policy applies to non-US citizens who have traveled to one of the stated countries during the last 14 days. However, permanent US residents and family members and some other non-US citizens, such as students, are exempted.

The Indian Embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comments.

The coronavirus situation in India is deteriorating with every passing day. The country has been reporting over 300,000 new cases daily for nine days in a row, hitting another global record of 386,452 on Friday.

India’s official death toll has surpassed 200,000 and infections are approaching 19 million - nearly 8 million since February alone. Medical experts say real numbers maybe five to 10 times higher than the official tally.