BENGALURU: At least 138 air passengers arriving from the UK, where a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was reported a fortnight ago, entered Karnataka after flying without negative COVID-19 certificates or undergoing tests upon arrival.
With the Civil Aviation Ministry banning all inbound flights from the UK, and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issuing instructions on Monday to all Union states and territories to implement testing and quarantine protocols for travelers flights upon arrival from the UK, the State Government is now tracking these passengers.
The state government has yet to establish how many air travelers have arrived in Karnataka from the UK during the last fortnight.
The state Department of Health and Family Welfare issued a circular on Monday evening directing Bengaluru and Mangaluru international airports to provide lists of passengers arriving from the UK since December 7.
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 traveled without COVID-19 certificates and were also not tested for RT-PCR. Of the 246 passengers who arrived on an Air-India flight, 89 arrived without a negative Covid certificate and were not tested.
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“These passengers are asymptomatic, but for security reasons, we have sought their details in the Ministry of Civil Aviation and we are tracking them. Once traced, they will undergo RT-PCR tests ”. Sudhakar said.
BIAL to follow protocols, perform RT-PCR tests
The circular, signed by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Jawaid Akhtar, states: “… For all flights arriving from today, RT-PCR tests must be performed on all passengers from of the United Kingdom, including those that transit in other airports outside the United Kingdom “.
“Those who are RT-PCR positive must be in hospital isolation and positive samples must be sent to NIMHANS, Bengaluru, for molecular testing. Passengers who are RT-PCR negative will be under strict home quarantine for 14 days. Contact details of all These passengers must be reported to the district surveillance officers for monitoring the quarantine, “he added.
This will not require any special arrangements at Kempegowda International Airport, as there are no flights scheduled to arrive here until midnight on Tuesday, after which the ban on flights from the UK will be in effect until December 31.
A spokesperson for Bangalore International Airport Ltd said: “According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare circular, BIAL will follow all required government protocols and tests. Based on current flight times, there are no UK flights arriving at BLR Airport earlier. that the prohibition is applied at 11:59 p.m. on December 22 “.
Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner KV Rajendra said there are no direct flights from the UK to Mangaluru International Airport, but the chances of passengers landing in Mangaluru via connecting flights cannot be ruled out.
He has sought details from the airport authorities. Dr Sudhakar said that a kiosk will be set up at both airports where passengers coming from the UK will be screened upon arrival. “The new variant of COVID-19 is said to be spreading rapidly, but it is not as virulent. We don’t have to worry. Our health professionals continue to study the virus and the state government will keep you updated,” he added.
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