US Department of state resuming passport services after COVID-19 lockdown: Pompeo

Washington, June 25: The US Department of State has decided to resume passport services for citizens willing to travel abroad following the lockdown linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.

“As the country begins to reopen, the department is getting our passport team back on the field. In the coming weeks they will aggressively tackle applications that were put on hold because of the pandemic and provide fast and efficient service for Americans that they rightfully expect,” Pompeo told reporters on Wednesday.

The United States has significantly restricted foreign trips for its citizens amid the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the US became the worst hit-nation in the world, with over 2.3 million infected people and more than 121,000 fatalities.

The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11. To date, more than 9.4 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, with over 482,000 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.
(UNI)