RT-PCR testing for all NRIs returning to Kerala will be mandatory to check for genetic variations of the coronavirus.
People coming to Kerala from abroad will have free COVID-19 testing, state Health Minister KK Shailaja said at a press conference on Friday. RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) tests for returning non-resident Indians (NRIs) will be done free of charge in the state, he said.
RT-PCR testing for all NRIs returning to Kerala will be mandatory to check for new variants of the coronavirus. People should exercise extreme caution to avoid the sharp increase in COVID-19 cases, Minister Shailaja warned.
On Saturday, mobile RT-PCR testing labs will begin operations in the state. A test will cost 448 rupees instead of the 1,700 rupees charged in private laboratories. Results are expected to be released within 24 hours of testing.
Kerala continues to record several thousand COVID-19 cases every day and ranks second after Maharashtra in the number of active cases reported in the country. On Thursday, the state registered 3,677 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total active cases to 51,879. However, a good number of recoveries are also taking place and the state has a recovery rate of 94.63%. On Thursday, 4,652 people were reported to have recovered. The state Department of Health has recorded 4,150 deaths from COVID-19 to date.
Read: Why Kerala’s active COVID-19 cases remain high
On Thursday, Rajasthan’s Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that people arriving in the state from Maharashtra and Kerala should bring a report showing they have tested negative for the coronavirus. The decision was made at a meeting held at the CM residence. “At the meeting, it was decided that it will be mandatory for people coming to Rajasthan from Maharashtra and Kerala to bring a negative corona RT-PCR test report,” said CM Ashok.
Four days ago, Karnataka also began regulating the entry of people from Kerala through the borders near Kasargod and Wayanad. The move came after Kerala’s COVID-19 cases remained high. As on Thursday, Karnataka has 5,595 active cases.
Read: Karnataka border regulations: students in Kerala fear missing exams due to new rules
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