Omicron scare: Karnataka mandates institutional isolation for international arrivals testing positive

With the new coronavirus variant named Omicron (B.1.1529) being reported from several countries and new clusters of Covid-19 infection reported from different districts in the last few days, the Karnataka government has decided to intensify surveillance measures.

As per recommendations made by the Covid-19 technical advisory committee (TAC) to the state government, the health and family welfare department has instructed officials to track and conduct “repeat RT-PCR testing” for those arriving from high-risk countries where cases with the Omnicron variant were discovered.

“All international travellers from South Africa, Botswana, and Hong Kong who have arrived in the last 15 days (since November 12) should be tracked and subjected to repeat RT-PCR testing,” the addendum circular issued by principal secretary (health & family Welfare) T K Anil Kumar read.

Further, it has been decided to place such travellers who have tested positive for the infection under “institutional isolation” for ten days apart from their samples mandatorily sent for whole genome sequencing (WGS) “on a fast-track basis.”

With the new coronavirus variant named Omicron (B.1.1529) being reported from several countries and new clusters of Covid-19 infection reported from different districts in the last few days, the Karnataka government has decided to intensify surveillance measures.

 

As per recommendations made by the Covid-19 technical advisory committee (TAC) to the state government, the health and family welfare department has instructed officials to track and conduct “repeat RT-PCR testing” for those arriving from high-risk countries where cases with the Omnicron variant were discovered.

“All international travellers from South Africa, Botswana, and Hong Kong who have arrived in the last 15 days (since November 12) should be tracked



and subjected to repeat RT-PCR testing,” the addendum circular issued by principal secretary (health & family Welfare) T K Anil Kumar read.

Further, it has been decided to place such travellers who have tested positive for the infection under “institutional isolation” for ten days apart from their samples mandatorily sent for whole genome sequencing (WGS) “on a fast-track basis.”

With the new coronavirus variant named Omicron (B.1.1529) being reported from several countries and new clusters of Covid-19 infection reported from different districts in the last few days, the Karnataka government has decided to intensify surveillance measures.

As per recommendations made by the Covid-19 technical advisory committee (TAC) to the state government, the health and family welfare department has instructed officials to track and conduct “repeat RT-PCR testing” for those arriving from high-risk countries where cases with the Omnicron variant were discovered.

“All international travellers from South Africa, Botswana, and Hong Kong who have arrived in the last 15 days (since November 12) should be tracked and subjected to repeat RT-PCR testing,” the addendum circular issued by principal secretary (health & family Welfare) T K Anil Kumar read.

Further, it has been decided to place such travellers who have tested positive for the infection under “institutional isolation” for ten days apart from their samples mandatorily sent for whole genome sequencing (WGS) “on a fast-track basis.”

As per the revised targets, a daily increase of 5,000 tests will be in effect in the Bengaluru municipal area (BBMP), while a total of 15,0000 tests have been increased from across other districts.

Meanwhile, 322 new cases were reported in the state on Saturday with a test positivity rate (TPR) of 0.34 per cent.