Health, Home departments to track those who have arrived from U.K.

State govt. has made it compulsory for U.K. returnees to undergo RT-PCR test

The Department of Health and Family Welfare has sought the assistance of the Home Department to track passengers who have returned from the United Kingdom (U.K.). Over the last few days, the Health Department is trying to trace all passengers who have arrived from the U.K. in the backdrop of the new strain of the coronavirus that emerged there.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar said that they were unable to trace some of the passengers as their mobile numbers were switched off. “We have appealed to them through the media several times and asked them to cooperate. Despite this, many have not got tested nor are in touch with the state government,” he said. The State government has made it compulsory for passengers coming from U.K. to undergo RT-PCR tests.

As on Monday, 27 passengers who came from U.K. tested positive for COVID-19. All their swab samples have been collected at the designated lab at NIMHANS and all of them are admitted to the hospital, said Dr. Sudhakar. He said that they are not under home isolation. According to the media bulletin issued by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, as many as 2,127 international passengers arrived from the U.K. As many as 1,766 passengers who arrived in Karnataka from there have undergone RT-PCR tests. Of these, 27 tested positive, 1,384 tested negative and reports of 355 are still awaited. On Monday alone, as many as 179 tests of passengers from U.K. were conducted and one person tested positive, while 120 were found to be negative and reports of 58 passengers are still awaited.

Dr. Sudhakar said that the officials have been instructed to immediately locate those who have returned from the U.K. but have not been traceable. “All forms of information have been provided by the Department of Health, and all persons from the U.K. will be found within two days,” he assured.

Guidelines for New Year celebrations soon

Mr. Sudhakar said that the Health Department will soon come out with guidelines to make sure the New Year celebrations are carried out in a simple and meaningful way. Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Dr Sudhakar said it was important to make sure the new year was celebrated in a simple manner in the light of the pandemic.

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