Travelling to Bengaluru? Karnataka imposes restrictions on travel from Kerala, foreign countries

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Bangalore, February 16The Karnataka government on Tuesday issued a new set of guidelines for people coming from Kerala, which has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases, saying they would take effect with immediate effect.

Based on the recommendations of the Technical Advisory Committee on COVID-19, new special surveillance measures have been introduced for those arriving from Kerala, Additional Chief Secretary Jawaid Akhtar said in a statement.

Now it would be mandatory that those who arrive from that state and register in hotels, resorts, hostels, house stays and dormitories have a negative RT-PCR certificate, “which should not be more than 72 hours old.”

The government said positive samples would be sent to NIMHANS here for genomic sequencing. Those in hostels and universities could not have visitors or relatives without obtaining the express permission of the Covid node officers.

A competent authority must maintain a list of students traveling to and from Kerala from hostels or universities, depending on the order. The government said students are required to submit negative RT PCR test reports, no longer than 72 hours, each time they return from Kerala and until the situation improves.

The order said that day students traveling from Kerala to schools and universities anywhere in Karnataka would be subjected to an RT-PCR test every fortnight. Those who had already arrived in the state from Kerala in the last two weeks are required to undergo this test.

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The government said that the concerned authorities have to appoint a nodal person in the shelters and classes to monitor the health status of students and others.

Anyone who does not comply with the order will be immediately reported to the nodal person or authorities and made to remain in the designated “quarantine room” at the facility until the RT-PCR test report is negative.

The government called on the authorities to intensify testing and reinforce surveillance activities for COVID-19 at all universities and residential facilities that have hosted Kerala students and others.