With Covid-19 cases on the rise across the world, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Saturday that RT-PCR test, the test for Covid-19, is mandatory for all those arriving from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand.
“On arrival, if any passenger from these countries is found symptomatic or tests positive for Covid19, then he or she will be put under quarantine,” the Health Minister said in a conversation with ANI.
Furthermore, he also added that Air Suvidha form filling to declare current health status shall also be made compulsory for passengers arriving from these Asian countries.
India reported 201 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, raising the tally to 4.46 crore, while the active cases increased to 3,397, the Union Health Ministry said on Saturday. The death toll currently stands at 5,30,691.
The RT-PCR test has been made mandatory after several countries have witnessed a surge in Covid infections over the past few days. Back in China, reports claim that about 18 per cent of the country’s population has contracted Covid-19 in the first 20 days of December. This comes after Beijing abruptly lifted the ‘zero Covid’ policy restrictions that had kept the disease under control for almost three years.
Taking note of the rising Covid cases, Mandaviya presided over a high-level virtual meeting to review the country’s public health preparedness for Covid-19.
He said that Centre and states need to work in tandem and in a collaborative spirit as was done during the previous surges for Covid-19 prevention and management.
Moreover, in view of the ongoing crisis, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued ‘Guidelines for International Arrivals’ in context of Covid-19 pandemic, effective from December 24.
“All travellers should preferably be fully vaccinated as per the approved primary schedule of vaccination against Covid-19 in their country,” the Ministry said. Furthermore, 2% of the total passengers in the flight shall undergo random post arrival testing at the airport on arrival.
