Against the backdrop of growing concerns over a new Coronavirus variant, the Dakshina Kannada district administration resumed Covid screening at the Talapady Checkpost, near the state border. District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. Kishore Kumar informed that district officials are working in three shifts and are performing RT-PCR tests on those coming to the district from Kerala without a Covid negative report.
‘All those arriving from Kerala should mandatorily produce a negative RT-PCR certificate not older than 72 hours. Those who don’t possess the certificate will be tested at the check post by collecting their samples for the RT-PCR test’, Deccan Herald quoted Kumar as saying. The Karnataka government announced fresh guidelines for international arrivals earlier in the day. As per the circular released by the Department of Health, travelers coming from at-risk 12 countries will undergo RT-PCR tests on arrival. The travelers will have to spend seven days at home and undergo re-testing after the eighth day.
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Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters that international passengers can only depart airports if they have a negative test report. The World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines will be followed in the case of a new strain. ‘The Prime Minister and Union Health Minister have also recommended precautionary measures which will be followed. Karnataka has initiated precautionary measures much earlier’, he said.
If a test is positive on international arrival, the sample will be sent for genomic sequencing and the individual will be admitted to a separate isolation facility. When the genomic sequencing results for B.1.1.529 (Omicron variant) are negative, patients may be discharged at the discretion of the treating physician.
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