Karnataka to enhance passenger screening at airports, sea ports in light of new Covid-19 strain

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 22 (ANI): Karnataka government has enhanced passenger screening at International Airports and Seaports, in view of the new strain of COVID-19 reported from the UK.
According to the circular issued by the state government, in view of the new variant of COVID-19 reported from the United Kingdom, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India has decided to suspend all flights originating from the UK to India. In this background, the International Airports at Bengaluru and Mangaluru are hereby instructed to provide the list of passengers arrived from the UK from December 7, 2020, onwards till date.
"It is hereby instructed that for all flights arriving from today (Monday), RT-PCR testing must be done for all passengers originating from the UK, including those transiting in other airports outside the UK. Those who are RT-PCR positive shall be under hospital isolation and positive samples should be sent to NIMHANS, Bengaluru for molecular testing," the circular added.
Passengers who are RT-PCR negative shall be under strict home quarantine for 14 days. Contact details of all such passengers should be informed to District Surveillance Officers for quarantine follow-up.
On December 20, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson informed the public that a new variant of COVID-19 virus has been found in UK.
He tweeted, "Given the early evidence we have on this new variant of the virus, and the potential risk it poses, it is with a heavy heart that I must tell you we cannot continue with Christmas as planned." (ANI)