<p>Stepping up surveillance, in the backdrop of the possible surge of the third wave of the Covid pandemic, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has ordered mandatory institutional quarantine for travellers returning to Bengaluru from Maharashtra and Kerala without a negative RTPCR certificate. </p>.<p>Stating that the institutional quarantine will be enforced with immediate effect, BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta said, "We will conduct RTPC-R test on all the travellers who enter the city from Kerala and Maharashtra without a valid negative RTPCR test and they will be put under institutional quarantine until we get the test results." </p>.<p>Defending that the move is inevitable considering what the city had undergone during the second wave, Gupta said, "If we do not scale up the surveillance and if we allow all such travellers home quarantine, we will not be able to control the spread. Hence, we had no alternative than to mandate institutional quarantine." Gupta said that the BBMP officials are working alongside the police officials to make sure all the travellers are tested for the report.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/stir-at-karnataka-border-against-curbs-on-kerala-vehicles-1015603.html" target="_blank">Stir at Karnataka border against curbs on Kerala vehicles</a></strong></p>.<p>However, the civic body is yet to decide on the venue for the institutional quarantine. Even though the BBMP was using marriage halls and hotels in the past to house the suspected Covid patients under institutional quarantine, currently officials are yet to decide on the places for institutional quarantine in the city.</p>.<p>"We still have not finalised the venue for institutional quarantine for these returning travellers. We are awaiting instructions," said a BBMP senior official from the South Zone. </p>.<p>Sources in the BBMP further revealed that the existing Covid Care Centres (CCC) are being considered to house those serving the institutional quarantine period. "For the time being, we will accommodate these travellers at the existing CCCs," the official clarified. </p>
<p>Stepping up surveillance, in the backdrop of the possible surge of the third wave of the Covid pandemic, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has ordered mandatory institutional quarantine for travellers returning to Bengaluru from Maharashtra and Kerala without a negative RTPCR certificate. </p>.<p>Stating that the institutional quarantine will be enforced with immediate effect, BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta said, "We will conduct RTPC-R test on all the travellers who enter the city from Kerala and Maharashtra without a valid negative RTPCR test and they will be put under institutional quarantine until we get the test results." </p>.<p>Defending that the move is inevitable considering what the city had undergone during the second wave, Gupta said, "If we do not scale up the surveillance and if we allow all such travellers home quarantine, we will not be able to control the spread. Hence, we had no alternative than to mandate institutional quarantine." Gupta said that the BBMP officials are working alongside the police officials to make sure all the travellers are tested for the report.</p>.<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/stir-at-karnataka-border-against-curbs-on-kerala-vehicles-1015603.html" target="_blank">Stir at Karnataka border against curbs on Kerala vehicles</a></strong></p>.<p>However, the civic body is yet to decide on the venue for the institutional quarantine. Even though the BBMP was using marriage halls and hotels in the past to house the suspected Covid patients under institutional quarantine, currently officials are yet to decide on the places for institutional quarantine in the city.</p>.<p>"We still have not finalised the venue for institutional quarantine for these returning travellers. We are awaiting instructions," said a BBMP senior official from the South Zone. </p>.<p>Sources in the BBMP further revealed that the existing Covid Care Centres (CCC) are being considered to house those serving the institutional quarantine period. "For the time being, we will accommodate these travellers at the existing CCCs," the official clarified. </p>
