New worry? 138 flyers from UK slip into Karnataka without COVID-19 test

New worry? 138 flyers from UK slip into Karnataka without COVID-19 test

The State Government is yet to establish how many such air travellers have arrived in Karnataka from the UK over the past fortnight.

At least 138 air passengers arriving from the United Kingdom, where a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 virus was reported a fortnight ago, have entered Karnataka after flying in without COVID-19 negative certificates or being subjected to tests on arrival.

With the Civil Aviation Ministry banning all incoming flights from the UK, and the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry issuing directions on Monday to all states and Union territories to put in place testing and quarantine protocols for air travellers on arrival from the UK, the State Government is now tracing these passengers.

The State Government is yet to establish how many such air travellers have arrived in Karnataka from the UK over the past fortnight.

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The state Health and Family Welfare Department on Monday evening issued a circular directing Bengaluru and Mangaluru international airports to provide the lists of passengers who have arrived from the UK from since December 7.

Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar revealed that on Sunday and Monday, of the 291 air passengers who arrived from the UK on a British Airways flight, 49 travelled without COVID-19 certificates, and neither were they subjected to RT-PCR tests. Of the 246 passengers who arrived on an Air-India flight, 89 came without a Covid negative certificate and remained untested.

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The state Health and Family Welfare Department on Monday evening issued a circular directing Bengaluru and Mangaluru international airports to provide the lists of passengers who have arrived from the UK from since December 7.

Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar revealed that on Sunday and Monday, of the 291 air passengers who arrived from the UK on a British Airways flight, 49 travelled without COVID-19 certificates, and neither were they subjected to RT-PCR tests. Of the 246 passengers who arrived on an Air-India flight, 89 came without a Covid negative certificate and remained untested.

“These passengers are asymptomatic, but for safety, we have sought their details from the civil aviation ministry and are tracing them. Once traced, RT-PCR tests will be conducted on them.” said Sudhakar.

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The circular, signed by Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Jawaid Akhtar, states: "... For all flights arriving from today, RT-PCR testing must be done for all passengers originating from the UK, including those transiting in other airports outside the UK."

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"Those who are RT-PCR positive shall be under hospital isolation and positive samples should be sent to NIMHANS, Bengaluru, for molecular testing. 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," it added.

This will not require any special arrangements at the Kempegowda International Airport, as there are no flights scheduled to arrive here till Tuesday midnight, after which the ban on flights from the UK will be in effect until December 31.

A Bangalore International Airport Ltd spokesperson said, "Based on the circular from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, BIAL will follow all government protocol and testing required. Based on current flight schedules, there are no flights from the UK coming in to BLR Airport before the ban is enforced at 11.59 pm on December 22."

Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner KV Rajendra said there are no direct flights from the UK to Mangaluru International Airport, but chances of passengers landing in Mangaluru through connecting flights cannot be ruled out.

He has sought details from airport authorities. Dr Sudhakar said a kiosk will be set up at both airports where passengers coming from the UK will be tested on arrival. "The new variant of COVID-19 is said to be spreading fast but is not as virulent. We don’t have to worry. Our health professionals keep studying the virus and the state government will keep all updated," he added.

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