Karnataka to screen flyers from Japan and Thailand for Covid at airports

Taking preventive measures against Covid-19, the Karnataka government on Saturday ordered screening, surveillance and tele-monitoring of passengers arriving from Japan and Thailand. On an average the state is registering 110 cases daily with the test positivity rate ranging between 0.9 and 1.1 per cent.

“Currently, 2 per cent of international arrivals from designated countries are screened randomly at airports, as per guidelines of the government of India. Further, in view of the recent spurt of Covid-19 cases in China, Australia, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, New Zealand, Russia and South Korea, further surveillance may be required. Of the eight countries, direct flight services to Bengaluru are available only from Japan and Thailand. Hence, it is instructed to initiate the surveillance measures for those arriving from Japan and Thailand,” said a circular signed by TK Anil Kumar, principal secretary to the health and family welfare department.

“At Bengaluru International Airport and Mangaluru International Airport, the arrivals should undergo thermal screening on arrival. Testing through RT-PCR should be done for the symptomatics at the airport testing laboratory and for those found positive, the samples shall be sent for genome sequencing. Further treatment and management of Covid patients is to be followed as per the state protocol,” the circular read.

Officials of the district administration and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike should ensure tele-monitoring of the passengers from Japan and Thailand, it added. “If the person develops symptoms during the follow-up period, testing, treatment and management of the case should be taken up as per the state protocol by the district teams. The positive samples shall be sent for genome sequencing,” the circular read.