Karnataka government issues fresh guidelines, surveillance measures for people arriving from Kerala

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Tuesday issued a fresh set of guidelines for people coming from Kerala, which has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases, saying these would come into force with immediate effect. Based on recommendations of the Technical Advisory Committee on COVID-19, new special surveillance measures for those arriving from Kerala have been introduced, Additional Chief Secretary Jawaid Akhtar said in a release. It would now be mandatory for those arriving from that state and checking into hotels, resorts, hostels, home stays and dormitories to have a negative RT-PCR certificate, “which should not be older than 72 hours”. The government said positive samples would be sent to NIMHANS here for genomic sequencing. Those in hostels and colleges would not be allowed to have visitors or relatives without obtaining express permission from the Covid nodal officers. A list of students travelling to and from Kerala from hostels or colleges should be maintained by a competent authority, the order said. The government said students should compulsorily produce RT PCR negative test reports, not older than 72 hours, each time they return from Kerala and till the situation improves. The order said that day scholars travelling from Kerala to schools and colleges in any part of Karnataka would be subjected to RT-PCR test every fortnight. Those who had already arrived to the state from Kerala over the past two weeks should compulsorily undergo this test. The government said the authorities concerned have to appoint a nodal person in hostels and classes to monitor the students’ health condition and that of others. Anyone not complying with the order would immediately be reported to the nodal person or authorities and made to stay in the designated “quarantine room” in the facility till RT- PCR test report turned negative. The government asked the authorities to ramp up testing and strengthen COVID-19 surveillance activities in all colleges, residential facilities, which have accommodated the students and others from Kerala.