Following guidelines, no need to impose night curfew in K'taka: Yediyurappa
Dec 22, 2020
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 22 : Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said on Tuesday that there is no need for night curfew in the state.
"Even I came to know about a person who tested positive after arriving from the UK. We are also following all the guidelines. Whoever comes from the UK and other places will be checked at the airport. Our prime minister is also very much keen about the issue, there is no need for night curfew in the state," Yediyurappa said.
In view of the new strain of COVID-19 reported from the UK, the Karnataka government has enhanced passenger screening at International Airports and Seaports.
According to the circular issued by the state government, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India has decided to suspend all flights originating from the UK to India. In this background, the international airports at Bengaluru and Mangaluru are instructed to provide the list of passengers arrived from the UK since December 7, 2020, onwards till date.
"It is hereby instructed that for all flights arriving from today (Monday), RT-PCR (Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) testing must be done for all passengers originating from the UK, including those transiting in other airports outside the UK. Those who are RT-PCR positive shall be under hospital isolation and positive samples should be sent to NIMHANS, Bengaluru for molecular testing," the circular added.
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.
Flight services from the UK to India have been suspended till December 31 as a precautionary measure against outbreaking of a new strain of coronavirus in London and England.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday informed the public that a new variant of COVID-19 virus has been found in the UK. "Given the early evidence we have on this new variant of the virus, and the potential risk it poses, it is with a heavy heart that I must tell you we cannot continue with Christmas as planned," tweeted Johnson
Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Monday warned hotels and party halls of strict action if they allowed mass gatherings on Christmas and the New Year. The directive was intended to check the spread of COVID-19.