New Karnataka order comes in wake of recent Covid clusters involving students from Kerala
BENGALURU:
Amid an increase in Covid-19 cases among travellers from neighbouring Kerala, the state government has issued an order obliging all travellers from Kerala to carry RT-PCR negative certificates while arriving in Bengaluru and also while entering Karnataka. Tuesday’s order is with immediate effect.
The decision comes in the backdrop of two groups of 40 students in Mangaluru and Bengaluru’s Manjushree College of Nursing testing positive for Covid-19 in recent days.
All returnees from Kerala shall produce negative RT-PCR certificate which is not older than 72hrs@PMOIndia @narendramodi @CMofKarnataka @BSYBJP @MoHFW_INDIA @drharshvardhan @mla_sudhakar @mdnhm_kar@CovidIndiaSeva @KarnatakaVarthe @PIBBengaluru pic.twitter.com/9kov9cj7S8
— K'taka Health Dept (@DHFWKA) February 16, 2021
Extra vigil
The order issued by Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare), calls for special surveillance of arrivals from Kerala (into Karnataka, including Bengaluru). The guidelines for ensuing prevention of Covid-19 outbreaks in colleges will apply to hotels, resorts, apartments and all residential facilities in Bengaluru. The managements of these facilities should ensure that a negative RT-PCR certificate that is not older than 72 hours and valid for 7 days is produced by any person travelling from Kerala.
