MUMBAI/JAIPUR: The Maharashtra government has issued fresh guidelines for Covid-19, including revised restrictions and permissions for passengers arriving, amid the Omicron variant scare.
Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar issued new restrictions to curb the spread of the new variant. They say that travellers from South Africa arriving in Mumbai will undergo mandatory quarantine. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has urged the Central government to stop flights from South Africa, considering that the new variant is found there.
Maharashtra authorities have also been instructed to keep track of all international passengers coming to the state. The order further states that in case a passenger tests positive, then the samples will be sent for genome sequencing.
The orders came on Saturday after PM Narendra Modi held a meeting with health officials to review the new variant concern. The Centre directed the states to take rigorous steps and accelerate the screening of passengers. All travellers entering Maharashtra from any international destination shall be governed by the directions of the government.
Domestic travellers shall either be fully vaccinated or carry an RT-PCR test valid for 72 hours. Defaulters of Covid-appropriate behaviour, if found inside a taxi/bus or any four-wheeler will be fined Rs 500 along with the driver/conductor. The owner of the transport agency in case of buses will be fined Rs 1,000. Organisers, guests and staff members in any ticketed or non-ticketed event must be fully vaccinated.
Maharashtra minister Eknath Shinde also held a meeting to address the threat of the Omicron variant. He directed all hospitals and Covid care centres to have structural audits. He told district officials to ensure that oxygen, ventilators and other equipment are ready for emergency use.
Expressing concern over the Centre’s decision to start international flights, Rajasthan CM Gehlot saithe new variant has been found in many countries. “Many countries have banned flights from other countries affected by this infection, including South Africa. In such a situation, the Central government should reconsider its decision. There should be a ban on flights to and from countries where the new variant is spreading.” Gehlot said in Jaipur.
The chief minister called a review meeting regarding the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in the state. The state’s Medical and Health Minister Parsadi Lal Meena, Chief Secretary Niranjan Arya, top officials of the medical department and medical experts discussed ways of preventing the virus from spreading, especially among the children. Measures like increasing testing, contact tracing and barricading in the severely infected areas were discussed at length. The government will issue an order to strictly follow the norms.
Indore witnesses rise in positive tests
In Indore, 12 fresh Covid-19 cases were reported in the last 24 hours. They included eight patients from two families. One patient is an employee of Military Hospital in Mhow. He might have got infected after coming in contact with Covid positive India Army personnel under isolation there.