"From (November) 1 to 26, a total of 94 people have come from South Africa, out of them two have tested positive for regular Covid-19. So people need not worry," Bengaluru Rural Deputy Commissioner K Srinivas said
Bengaluru:
Amid fears of the spread of new Covid strain 'Omicron', two South African nationals have tested positive for the coronavirus, and their samples have been sent for further tests to ascertain about the variant, a top official said on Saturday.
Both of them have been quarantined and there was no need for worry, he said.
"From (November) 1 to 26, a total of 94 people have come from South Africa, out of them two have tested positive for regular Covid-19. So people need not worry," Bengaluru Rural Deputy Commissioner K Srinivas, under whose jurisdiction Kempegowda International Airport comes, said.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, he said, both the infected persons have been quarantined, are being monitored by the authorities and their samples have been sent for further tests to ascertain the variant.
Noting that ten countries have been identified as high risk, the DC said all those coming from there are made to compulsorily undergo tests, and those tested positive are being quarantined.
As many as 584 people have arrived in Bengaluru from ten high-risk nations from November one to 26, he said.
Observing that cases of the new variants have been detected in the last one week in countries like Botswana, South Africa, Hong Kong and Israel, state Health Minister K Sudhakar earlier today said guidelines have been given to airports stating those travelling from these countries to the city have to undergo a test despite having negative Covid test report, and they will be allowed outside the airport only after testing negative"Even after testing negative they will have to remain at home and after seven days they will have to undergo a test once again, and after getting a negative report, one can go out," he added.
The Karnataka government has stepped up COVID-19 precautionary measures in the state amid a rise in cases and worries over new strain 'Omicron'. Screening of international passengers at the airports will be intensified and RT-PCR tests will now be mandatory for visitors from Maharashtra and Kerala.
The international arrivals from South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong will have to undergo Covid testing and those who test positive will be placed under a 10-day institutional isolation said a government circular. All the travellers from these countries who entered the state in the last 15 days will have to undergo repeat RT-PCR testing, it said.
The 'Omicron' variant, which scientists say has a high number of mutations, was first detected in South Africa last week. A World Health Organisation (WHO) panel has classified it as a highly transmissible variant of concern, the same category that includes the Delta variant.
Two South African passengers who arrived in Bengaluru on November 20 tested positive for the coronavirus. The samples of both of them were sent for genome sequencing which confirmed they are infected by Delta Variant, said a top official.
The government has also decided to make second dose mandatory compulsory for those working in government offices, malls, hotels, cinema halls, zoos, swimming pools and libraries, state Revenue Minister R Ashok said after a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. "The meeting decided to impose a temporary ban on cultural programmes in schools and colleges," he added.
Karnataka has requested the Centre to allow the state to administer the booster dose of vaccine to prevent the third wave, informed the minister.
The order comes close on the heels of several recent cases among medical students in Karnataka. Twelve students of a nursing college in Bengaluru tested positive on Friday even as a medical college in Karnataka's Dharwad was also declared a COVID-19 cluster after the number of students and staff infected with coronavirus went up to 182 from 66 a day before.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a proactive approach and a review of plans for easing of international travel curbs and urged people to be more cautious amid emergence of the new variant.
Karnataka reported 402 new COVID-19 cases and six deaths on Saturday. The state has 6,611 active cases of infection. Karnataka has recorded 29,94,963 infections since the onset of the pandemic last year. The state has revised its daily testing target from 60,000 to 80,000 amid a sudden spike in cases.
You must be logged in to post a comment.