Karnataka to screen flyers at Bengaluru airport as Covid cases spike

As Covid cases are on the rise in China and Japan, officials in Karnataka are on alert and said they will screen international flyers at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport.

Published on: Dec 22, 2022, 11:33:17 IST

By Yamini C S, Bengaluru

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Karnataka's health department has decided on Wednesday to monitor international flyers coming in at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) as Covid cases spiked in other countries like China and Japan.

Karnataka health minister Dr K Sudhakar said an advisory will be issued soon. (Twitter)

The state's health minister Dr K Sudhakar spoke to news agency PTI, saying, “We will have to take certain precautionary measures in the wake of the global situation. KIA has a high inflow of international passengers. We will start monitoring passengers there.” However, he did not specify when the screening will begin.

Bengaluru's international airport has been witnessing increased footfall and huge crowds as holiday mood sets in. This comes in the midst of a sudden spike in Covid cases, especially in China, where hospitalisations have soared.

READ | Watch out flyers! Huge crowds at Bengaluru airport ahead of holiday season

Sudhakar also said his department will soon issue a new advisory to the public to follow Covid-related guidelines, and appealed the people of the state to take the booster dose as precaution, adding that only 20 per cent of the state has got it so far.

"Some countries including China and Japan are witnessing a sudden spurt in cases. China is witnessing more hospitalisation. Therefore, we need to focus on booster (precaution) dose coverage," Sudhakar told PTI. "A high-level meeting will be chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to discuss the next course of action," he added.

"All those who are yet to get their booster (precaution) shots should voluntarily come forward and get it," Sudhakar said in an appeal to people. As the vaccine for children above 12 years of age is available, he said they should also take the jab, the minister said. "We can minimise the intensity of this disease by taking the vaccine," Sudhakar said.

He also assured positive cases at Bengaluru airport will be monitored and samples will be sent to INSACOG (Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium) to detect new strains of the virus.

"We are prepared to face any kind of situation. We will take all necessary precautions and new guidelines will be released in this regard," he assured.

(With PTI inputs)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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