Hirra Azmat
Srinagar: All 718 international inbound travelers have tested negative for Covid-19 at Srinagar airport since December 1.
According to the official figures, all 718 passengers were tested on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
“Among them, one passenger with a travel history of Saudi Arabia tested positive. However, on repeat RT- PCR testing, the person turned out to be negative,” officials said.
Amid Omicron fear, Jammu and Kashmir government had issued fresh guidelines making rigorous screening and the Covid-19 RT-PCR test mandatory for foreign travelers at the Srinagar International Airport.
“It has been seen around the world that the Omicron variant causes a milder form of disease though it has a high infectivity rate. The precautions and treatment are the same. Focusing on the first of defence that is sticking to Covid appropriate behavior is important,” Dr. Mir Mushtaq Spokesperson Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) said.
Meanwhile, the new directives stipulated that incoming travelers from ‘at risk’ nations will have to undergo home quarantine even if they test negative, officials said.
Most of the Covid-19 containment guidelines in action will be retained, including imposing a night curfew in view of the uneven trend observed in the daily coronavirus cases, the new guidelines said.
Additional measures have been issued by the State Executive Committee (SEC) in regard to the international arrivals in J&K.
“Rigorous screening and conduct of Covid-19 RT-PCR test will be made mandatory at the Srinagar International Airport for international arrivals as per the guidelines issued from time to time,” the order said.
It said that any person found Covid-19 positive will have to undergo institutional quarantine and be treated as per standard protocol.
The samples of positive cases will be sent to the designated INSACOG Genome Sequencing Laboratories (IGSLs) promptly.
There will be close tracking and testing of the contacts of travelers who have tested positive, the order said.
It also directed the designated surveillance officers (DSOs) to establish close coordination with their designated and tagged INSACOG Genome Sequencing Laboratories (IGSLs) for expediting results of genomic analysis.
