Covid scare: India makes RT-PCR tests mandatory for arrivals from China, four other nations

Amid a spike in Covid cases in some countries, India on Saturday made RT-PCR tests mandatory for passengers coming from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand. Speaking to news agency ANI, India's health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said "The RT-PCR test will be mandatory for international arrivals from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand."

Mandaviya added on arrival if any passenger from these five countries is found symptomatic or tests positive for Covid, then he or she will be put under quarantine. The government's Air Suvidha form filling to declare the current health status will also be made mandatory for passengers coming from these countries.

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The announcement comes a day after Mandaviya chaired a virtual meeting with the health ministers of all states to review the pandemic situation in India. During the meeting, he said that the country needs to be on alert and be fully prepared to manage Covid. Mandaviya asked the health ministers to personally monitor and review the preparedness of all infrastructure and ensure adequate stock of essential medicines in their respective states.

He also stressed the importance of public awareness campaigns regarding adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour given the upcoming festive season in the country, ANI reported.

In the last 24 hours, India recorded 201 Covid cases and the overall recovery rate stands at 98.8%. The active cases stand at 3,397.

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Even though the daily cases are less at present, the worsening pandemic situation in the above five countries, particularly China, can cause a spike in infections and deaths in India.

On Thursday, the Indian government decided to subject two per cent of the passengers arriving on international flights to random Covid tests starting from Saturday (December 24).

And yesterday, the country's civil aviation ministry asked airport operators to ensure compliance with government guidelines and told airlines to instruct their crew to lead and bring identified two per cent of international arriving passengers to the testing facility at the respective airports.

(With inputs from agencies)

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