Karnataka begins screening of tourists, travellers

With a Bengaluru-based techie testing positive for Covid-19, the state government has initiated precautionary measures to check any possible spread of the virus.

A team of doctors is screening the foreign tourists visiting Hampi in Hosapete taluk of Ballari district. Head of the team, Dr Vinod said that the tourists are being questioned about the countries they visited before coming to Hampi. They are also being checked for cold, fever and cough, he said.

Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh said that following directions from the centre, travellers from select 18 countries were being screened for the virus at Mangalore International Airport and New Mangalore Port. The DC said that as many as 20,000 people had been screened so far and no one tested positive for coronavirus.

High alert has been sounded in Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Raichur districts which share border with Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

A five-bedded isolation ward has been opened in each if these districts. Around 500 air passengers had been screened at Bidar airport since February 24. However, passengers are not being screened at Kalaburagi airport.

Raichur Deputy Commissioner R Venkatesh Kumar held an emergency meeting with the officials on Tuesday and said Health Department staff will be deployed at bus stands and railway stations to screen the people arriving from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.