Amid rising precautions over the discovery of a new strain of coronavirus in the UK, at least 138 air passengers have entered Karnataka without passing RT-PCR test and failed to provide Covid-19 Negative certificate.
Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar revealed that on Sunday and Monday, of the 291 air passengers who arrived from the UK on a British Airways flight, 49 travelled without COVID-19 certificates, and neither were they subjected to RT-PCR tests. Of the 246 passengers who arrived on an Air-India flight, 89 came without a Covid negative certificate and remained untested.
The Karnataka government has decided to trace 138 passengers who arrived in the state from the United Kingdom with no negative Covid-19 certificate.
The swabs of all passengers from the UK who arrived in Dakshina Kannada recently will be collected on Wednesday morning.
They will be subjected to an RT-PCR test and if their samples test positive, genetic sequencing of the sample will be done at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans) lab, Health and Medical Education Minister Dr. K Sudhakar told reporters here on Monday.
The state government has mandated 14-day home quarantine for travellers from the UK, Denmark, and the Netherlands, according to a circular from Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary, Health.
On Monday, India suspended all flights to and from the UK until December 31 as a precautionary measure following the discovery of the fast-spreading new Covid-19 variant in Britain.
The Indian government has suspended flights to London and all those who arrive from London will have to go a mandatory RT-PCR test and will have to remain in institutional quarantine till test results arrive.
A Bangalore International Airport Ltd spokesperson said, “Based on the circular from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, BIAL will follow all government protocol and testing required. Based on current flight schedules, there are no flights from the UK coming into BLR Airport before the ban is enforced at 11.59 pm on December 22.”
Dr Sudhakar said a kiosk will be set up at both airports where passengers coming from the UK will be tested on arrival.