International passengers from high-risk nations, which have reported cases of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron, will have to undergo 14 days quarantine when they reach the state, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said on Monday.
George said those passengers found positive will be shifted to a treatment centre, set up by the state government on the directions of the union government. "The passengers from the high-risk nations should undergo home quarantine for seven days. On the eighth day they should test again. If they are found negative, they need to remain under quarantine for seven more days," she told the media.
The minister said those found positive would be shifted the treatment centre and separate wards would be set up for them on the union government's direction. "We have been regularly conducting genomic surveillance. We are testing whether there is any new variant in the state. As of now, we have not found one. If anyone coming from the high risk countries are found positive, their samples will be sent for genomic surveillance," she said.
George said five per cent of passengers coming from other countries will be tested randomly as per the directions issued by the union government. "They should be under self-monitoring," she added.
The minister said details of the passengers arriving will be collected from the airport and handed over to the departments concerned to ensure home quarantine and contact tracing.
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