India asks airlines to screen passengers from Japan, South Korea for COVID-19

India on Friday stepped up vigil against novel coronavirus asking airlines to screen passengers arriving on flights from Japan and South Korea in addition to China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Singapore.

Civil Aviation regulator DGCA asked airlines to screen passengers as they step out of the specific aerobridges.

“Universal screening of all the passengers coming in flights directly from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Singapore besides the flights from China and Hong Kong shall be ensured immediately once they step out of the specific identified aerobridge,” the Directorate General Civil Aviation said here.

The DGCA has also asked all airlines to make in-flight announcement in the flights coming directly from these countries and ensure strict compliance.

“It is advised to place the suitable signages at strategic locations at all the airports and getting the self-declaration form filled by the passengers as per the instructions of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,” it added.

India had reported three confirmed cases of nCoV, all in Kerala – who had returned to India on their own recently and self-reported at a hospital in the state.

A male passenger on a Bangkok-Delhi SpiceJet flight was placed under quarantine on Thursday on suspicion of being infected with nCoV.

The airline on Friday issued a statement to say that the said passenger had been tested negative.