COVID-19: Australians could face jail or fines if they return from India

Australian citizens returning home from India could face up to five years in jail and fines after the government made the journey temporarily illegal.

The health ministry said the ruling had been made "based on the proportion of people in quarantine who have acquired a COVID-19 infection in India".

Australia has banned all flights from India.

There are an estimated 9,000 Australians in India, 600 of whom are classed as vulnerable.

Australian media report this will be the first time Australians have been criminalized for returning to their country.

From Monday, anyone who has been in India within 14 days of their intended arrival date in Australia will be banned from entering the country.

Failing to comply with the new ruling could result in a five-year jail sentence, an AUD $66,000 fine, or both. The decision will be reviewed on 15th May.

[Source: BBC]