Karnataka expands mandatory RT-PCR test for arrivals from Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand and Zimbabwe

In adding these countries to an earlier list of countries, an order issued on Wednesday by Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, referred to an earlier Union government order and said: “Undergoing RT-PCR is made mandatory for international arrivals from selected countries, irrespective of the negative test report brought from the boarding point.”

Variant worries

The order continued: “In view of the new mutations in SARS-CoV-2 being reported and the rising incidence of Variants of Concern (VoC) and Variants of interest (Vol), passengers arriving from Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand and Zimbabwe should undergo RT-PCR test.