After two test covid positive, Karnataka intensifies screening of international passengers

A high level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has decided to intensify screening of international passengers at the airports and make RTPCR test reports compulsory for those arriving from Kerala and Maharashtra.

Devanahalli (Bengaluru Rural): The Karnataka government has decided to implement a slew of stringent precautionary measures amid a rise in Covid cases and the scare of the new Omicron variant of the virus.

A high level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in this regard has decided to intensify screening of international passengers at the airports and make RTPCR test reports compulsory for those arriving from Kerala and Maharashtra.

The new measures come after two persons who came from South Africa to Bengaluru tested positive for Covid-19. Their samples have been sent to find out whether they were infected with the Omicron variant or not, said Bengaluru Rural DC K Srinivas.

About 94 passengers arrived from South Africa to Bengaluru from November 1 to Nov 27. Among them, the reports of only two people have come back as positive. They arrived in Bengaluru on Nov 11 and Nov 20. One of the infected people is under quarantine at Bommanalli under BBMP range and another person is under quarantine at a private hotel, Srinivas said.

Chief Minister Bommai, in the meeting, instructed the officials to go on an aggressive campaign to trace those who have not taken the second dose of the vaccine and cover them at the earliest.

The meeting also decided to impose a temporary ban on cultural programmes in schools and colleges, make the second dose of vaccination compulsory for those working in government offices, malls, hotels, cinema halls, zoos, swimming pools and libraries, Revenue minister R Ashok said while briefing the media persons about the decisions taken at the meeting.

Karnataka is keen to administer booster doses of the vaccine as part of its plan to prevent a third wave of Covid in the state.

"We have urged the union government to allow the state to administer the booster dose, especially for the front line workers. We may get the go-ahead from the centre in a week," Ashok said.

The vaccination campaign has covered a large segment of the population. However, the need for the booster dose is being felt, especially for the front line workers who got vaccinated at the very beginning of the vaccination campaign.

The Union government has been requested to permit the state to administer the booster dose for front line workers. The Centre is likely to respond positively to the state's request, Ashok said.