K’taka CM mandates Covid testing for travellers from Maha, Kerala

Bengaluru Chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday said that passengers travelling from Maharashtra and Kerala should be subjected to Covid-19 tests and be closely monitored

Bengaluru Chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday said that passengers travelling from Maharashtra and Kerala should be subjected to Covid-19 tests and be closely monitored.

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“The Delta virus in the state is currently under control but (the chief minister) instructed that the situation be closely monitored,” according to a statement by the chief minister’s office (CMO), attributing it to Yediyurappa.

Though Karnataka has shown a decline in new infections, the Delta Plus variant has raised alarm bells in the state and other parts of the country, adding to fears of another wave of infections.

The chief minister also held a meeting with experts, members of his cabinet and other senior officials on the matter at his residence in Bengaluru on Friday.

The developments come days after the state government relaxed lockdown restrictions after almost six weeks, facilitating the return to normalcy and kickstarting economic activity.

“There are two cases of Delta plus variant, one in Bengaluru and the other in Mysuru. Both are having mild symptoms. The one in Mysuru has completely recovered. There was no severity in both the cases. Primary contacts of these cases have tested negative. Therefore, there is no need to panic about the virus. Genome sequencing is being done everyday to detect new strains,” Dr K Sudhakar, Karnataka’s minister for health, family welfare and medical education said in a statement on Friday.

The Karnataka government is concerned that travellers from Maharashtra and Kerala, who share borders in the north and south of the state, will spread the virus.

“There is a surge in cases in Kerala. Positivity rate is more than 10% there. We need to be cautious as we share borders with this state. Same is the case with Maharashtra. We need to conduct more tests in border areas. We have instructed the district administration to do so,” Sudhakar added. The minister, however, added that there the borders won’t be closed down.

Sudhakar also informed that six genome sequencing labs will be set up at Bengaluru, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Hubli, Mangaluru and Vijayapura.