Some foreign returnees untraceable in Vizag

Visakhapatnam: Amid concerns over Omicron, the new variant of Covid, Visakhapatnam Collector Mallikarjuna said on Friday that some international returnees who might have come to Visakhapatnam from Bengaluru, Chennai or Hyderabad are untraceable. The District Collector said the administration has received a list of international returnees who might have come to Visakhapatnam from Bengaluru, Chennai or Hyderabad. While some of them were traced, others were untraceable, he added.

"Protocol is very clear. Once any international traveller tests positive, apart from following the routine protocol of containment and treatment, we are sending their samples to genome sequencing," Mallikarjuna said.

The District Collector also said that the administration is prepared for any kind of situation that may arise in the coming times with regards to Covid-19. "We have set up an RT-PCR testing facility at the Visakhapatnam airport for travellers. District officials have also been geared up over Omicron alert. Around 7,500 beds are available in the district which also includes oxygen beds," he added.

Meanwhile, Director of Public Health and Family Welfare Dr Hymavathi clarified that no one was missing after returning to the State. "All the international travellers are being tested at the international airports. Since there are no international airports in AP, there is no scope for anyone disappearing after returning from a foreign tour," she clarified. She said the Centre had provided them the data of about 30 passengers of Visakhapatnam region who returned from different nations and the State Medical and Health Department is closely monitoring their health status at home isolation. She, however, did not elaborate about the present health status of the 30 foreign returnees residing in Visakhapatnam and neighbouring areas.