Passengers from UK to undergo 28 days quarantine

Bengaluru:Health Minister K. Sudhakar on Wednesday said that the department will keep a vigil on those who returned from the United Kingdom. Also 138 passengers who arrived in the State from the United Kingdom on December 20 and 21, were traced and tested for coronavirus. "They will undergo 28 days compulsory quarantine. Health officials will take care of their health for the initial 14 days. After that individuals must voluntarily restrict themselves at home," Sudhakar told reporters in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

According to the reports, as many as 2,500 international passengers had arrived in Karnataka from the UK between November 25 and December 23. However, out of these, 138 who returned on December 19 and 20 from the UK did not have a negative Covid-19 certificate.

"Details of the passengers are available and every single passenger will be kept under strict vigilance. RT-PCR test will be conducted if symptomatic. Also, we have 4 elite institutes in Bengaluru like NIMHANS, National Centre for Biological Sciences, IISc or National Institute of Virology, Bengaluru Field Unit, to study genetic sequences of the virus. Sample of the positive persons will be given to these institutions for study and research will be conducted on a new variant of the virus," Sudhakar further added.

The Indian government has halted all flights between India and the UK. The State government announced that a seven-day home quarantine rule will be in place for travellers from the UK, Denmark and Netherlands. The State government has also set up COVID-19 testing kiosks at the Bengaluru International Airport.