Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (MS)
Udupi, Dec 4: “The number of international passengers who arrived in the district in the past five days is 91. All the passengers are identified and their throat swabs have been tested by the health officers of the international airport. As three passengers arrived from high risk countries they are kept in home quarantine. On the eighth day one more Covid 19 test will be done on them compulsorily,” said deputy commissioner (DC) M Kurma Rao.
The DC was speaking at the press conference that was held at the DC office at Manipal on Saturday, December 4. He further said, “In the last week 266 people have arrived from Mumbai to the district and 69 from Kerala. Out of them, 12 and nine people have tested positive for Covid respectively.
“Those who are arriving from Kerala are permitted to enter only if they have Covid-19 negative report of 12 hours prior to journey. They are monitored for one week.
“At present there are 88 active Covid cases in the district. The positivity rate is 0.4% in the past seven days. District administration has taken several steps to control the spread of infection.
“In the last one week, 1,187 suspected Covid patients were tested. Those who are arriving from Maharashtra are given permission to enter only if they carry a negative report of 72 hours before starting the journey. All new Covid cases are advised to be under home quarantine.
“as the chances of children getting more affected in the third wave. 50% each out of the aimed tests will be conducted in district centres and rural areas. Out of the total target, 10% testing will be carried out on children.
“The district administration is intensifying the vaccination programme in the coming 15 days and all beneficiaries will be given at least the first dose.
“Testing has risen from 4,000 to 5,000. Testing of symptomatic cases and first and secondary contacts of infected people will be tested for Covid.
“Random testing will be done on students and teaching staff of high school and colleges, personnel working in hotels and restaurants, shop owners of malls, Catering personnel and home delivery staff, Factory workers, staff working in all offices.
“Passengers arriving from Hong Kong and Botswana will be mandatorily tested for RT-PCR and will be allowed to leave the airport after the result turns negative. If the person is infected with Covid, he or she needs to be mandatorily subjected to institutional quarantine for 10 days.
“Genomic sequencing will be mandatorily done for samples that turn positive for Covid,” he said.