A patient is taken to a COVID-19 ward in a hospital, in Bangalore, India, April 30, 2021. India's federal health ministry said on Friday morning that 386,452 new cases and 3,498 related deaths were registered in the past 24 hours across the country.(Photo: Xinhua)

 
The White House on Friday announced travel restrictions on India effective on May 4 due to high COVID-19 caseloads and multiple variants.

"On the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Administration will restrict travel from India starting immediately," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a brief statement.

"The policy will be implemented in light of extraordinarily high COVID-19 caseloads and multiple variants circulating in India. The policy will take effect on Tuesday, May 4," it added.

The State Department Wednesday urged "U.S. citizens who wish to depart India should take advantage of available commercial transportation options" in an updated Level 4 travel advisory. The department also approved the voluntary departure of family members of U.S. government employees from India.

India reported over 400,000 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, setting another record for the world’s largest single-day total. The country's total tally of infections has surpassed 19.1 million.