The company said in a statement that the decision to suspend flights is based on instructions issued by the Council of Ministers-Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority, which stipulated halting all direct flights to and from India due to the severity of the pandemic situation there. 

Earlier today, a local source in Dhi Qar reported the first COVID-19 case from the Indian variant. 

The source told Shafaq News agency, "The medical bodies in the governorate recorded the infection of a citizen from the Al-Shatra district who returned during the past days from India", noting, "three days after his return, he showed symptoms of the fatal mutant variant." 

"The patients' oxygen decreased to 30% during the past hours, which is very low", the source pointed out, noting that a special medical team is monitoring the condition of the patient.

India is facing a "catastrophic outbreak" of the pandemic that has flooded its hospitals.