Maharashtra SOPs For International Passengers: Fresh Rules Issued For Passengers Arriving From Europe, South Africa, Middle East Amid COVID-19 New Strain Fears
As per the standard operating procedures or SOPs, no RT-PCR test will be conducted on arrival and all asymptomatic UK arrivals will be sent to institutional quarantine.
Mumbai, December 24: In view of the new strains of coronavirus detected in the United Kingdom, the Maharashtra government on Thursday issued guidelines for passengers arriving from Europe, South Africa and the Middle East. As per the standard operating procedures or SOPs issued by the Maharashtra government, no RT-PCR test will be conducted on arrival and all asymptomatic UK arrivals will be sent to institutional quarantine for a week. BMC Issues Guidelines for Passengers Coming from UK in View of Detection of Mutant Coronavirus, No RT-PCR Test on Arrival.
"On arrival, no RTPCR test will be conducted for the other asymptomatic passengers who will be then taken to a paid institutional quarantine facility (hotel). However, RTPCR will be conducted between 5th and 7th day at the hotels the cost of which will have to be borne by the quarantined passengers," said the guidelines. If the passenger tests negative, s/he would be discharged from the institutional quarantine with 7-day mandatory home quarantine. Night Curfew: Mumbai, Pune, Karnataka, Rajasthan, These Places Have Imposed Curfew So Far Ahead of Christmas 2020 & New Year's Eve.
"If the result is found positive, but the patient is asymptomatic, then he/she will be required to continue the institutional quarantine in the same hotel or in the COVID-19 hospital till 14 days," the SOPs said. The state has implemented a night curfew in all civic corporations, and on Wednesday, empowered all District Collectors to impose similar restrictions, if deemed necessary. Maharashtra is the worst-hit state by the pandemic.
The new strains of coronavirus found in the UK are said to be more contagious than the original version. The central government has suspended flights to and from Britain till December 31.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 24, 2020 05:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).