India on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines, Malaysia with immediate effect to fight the coronavirus outbreak. The health ministry in a statement said no flights shall take off from these countries to India after 3 pm on Tuesday.

This is a temporary preventive measure and shall be in force till March 31. “The airline shall enforce this at the port of initial departure,” the statement added.

The advisory was issued a day after the Centre announced that passengers from all 27 European Union countries, all four European Free Trade Association member nations, Turkey and the United Kingdom cannot enter India between March 18 and March 31.

Also read: India’s ban on its own citizens in Europe and UK from returning sparks panic

The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday said there were 125 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in India. Several states have been taking several steps to contain the spread of the virus in the country. This includes tightening the land borders and travel ban.