New Covid-19 variant: Maharashtra government imposes stricter rules for those travelling from Europe to Mumbai

Passengers coming from Europe, Middle-East, South Africa, as well as through flights that have halts in Europe, will have to undergo a mandatory 14-day institutional

Passengers coming from Europe, Middle-East, South Africa, as well as through flights that have halts in Europe, will have to undergo a mandatory 14-day institutional quarantine after landing in Mumbai, according to a standard operating protocol (SOP) issued by the Maharashtra government on Tuesday, amid reports of the new strain of new coronavirus. Besides, they should test negative in RT-PCR test before discharge from the quarantine. Those who are found symptomatic will be shifted to a Covid hospital of the Mumbai civic body. No passenger will be allowed home quarantine.

Passengers from UK arrive at Chhatrapti Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The aviation ministry on Monday announced suspension of all flights from UK to India from December 22 midnight to December 31. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

South Africa was added to the list on Tuesday. By Tuesday afternoon, a total of 590 passengers had arrived in three flights from the United Kingdom and none of them were found to be symptomatic, said civic officials.

“All passengers will be screened for presence of symptoms and if found symptomatic, shall be subjected to RT-PCR testing with all precautions. Symptomatic passengers shall be sent to identified hospitals in the city and get admitted and should be treated accordingly. All other passengers shall undergo 14 days of mandatory paid institutional quarantine on arrival. These passengers shall not be allowed outside the designated quarantine facility before 14 days, in any condition,” states the SOP that will be applicable for passengers and staff of flights arriving from Europe, Middle-East countries and South Africa in Maharashtra.

Officials said the state took the decision considering sudden emergence of a fast-spreading variant of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom, which is believed to be up to 70% more transmissible than the original strain is a cause of concern. It has been reported that a distinct phylogenetic cluster of SARS-CoV-2 has been detected.

The state has directed municipal corporations concerned to make separate arrangements for carrying the passengers to the institutional quarantine facilities. Besides Mumbai airport, which has a significant number of travellers coming from Europe and Middle East, Pune and Nagpur airports in the state also have flights from these places.

The state government has also instructed the authorities concerned that the screening and quarantine of passengers should be done aptly without raising any panic, or any differential behaviour towards passengers. It has asked to take utmost care towards increasing the awareness of the passengers and the airport staff to the new threat. The psychological aspect of the situation should be managed very diligently so as to improve the compliance of the staff and passengers towards following the guidelines, states the order.

It has asked to identify a separate area at the far end of the airport terminal for receiving flights from countries in Europe, the Middle-East and South Africa. The area should have adequate air-bridges so as to receive the flights in a staggered manner, to avoid overcrowding. It should have adequate separate, immigration, luggage and customs centers along with a separate set up of APHO for screening and testing of these passengers and airline staff. The staff of the aircraft should be kept in an isolated area following the necessary preventive measures. They should not be allowed to enter the terminal, states the order.

The flow of passengers in the airport premises should be such that they should not in any way get mixed with the passengers coming from other flights or other staff, the state government directed.

It has also asked the airline staff to ensure that the passengers disembarking from the above-mentioned lights are wearing a proper fitted mask, and have sanitised the visible part of their hands thoroughly. In case any passenger is not wearing a mask, it should be provided to them, it added.

The state has further directed the civic bodies for daily monitoring of the passengers at the institutional quarantine facilities through Aarogya Setu app or by a health team. In case any passenger develops symptoms of Covid-19, he or she should be shifted to a specially designated hospital for treating the new strain of virus. Also, if any passenger tests positive on RT-PCR, he or she should be considered to be infected with the new strain and should be immediately shifted to the designated hospital for further management.

The state government has also issued an alert to all seaports about the possible threat of the spread of new strain of coronavirus.

590 people arrive from UK

In order to accommodate foreign passengers at institutional quarantine, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is planning to arrange 20,000 rooms in city’s private hotels by this week.

By Tuesday afternoon, a total of 590 passengers had arrived in three flights from the United Kingdom. More than 300 passengers have been shifted to the private hotels and the data of the rest is being updated by the BMC. None of the passengers have been found to be symptomatic.

The last flight of UK passengers, with about 250 passengers, will arrive in Mumbai by Tuesday midnight. Senior civic officials said that no Covid test will be conducted on arrival, but on the fifth to seventh day while they are at the hotels. “A private agency will be arranged for Covid testing and the cost for the tests will be borne by the passengers,” an official said.

Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner, said, “Our plan is to arrange nearly 20,000 rooms in hotels across the city. A team of civic officials is already working for that. Just like earlier, we will partner with the hotels and not take over them for quarantining passengers. Both luxury and budget hotels will be available as options and the cost of the stay will be borne by the passengers.” More than 4000 rooms have been arranged by the BMC so far.

As per BMC’s protocols, all symptomatic passengers from UK will be shifted to Seven Hills Hospital at Andheri and the ones from Europe and Middle-East countries will be shifted to GT Hospital at Fort directly from the airport. Passengers that don’t show any symptoms will be quarantined at hotels. The passport of the passengers will be deposited at the hotels and can be retrieved when they are discharged from the quarantine.

The state government also issued a notification empowering district collectors to impose night curfew if they feel it necessary to contain the epidemic. It means districts getting more cases may be imposed with night curfew. However, the district collectors will have to take prior permission from chief secretary Sanjay Kumar.

The state government on Monday declared a seven-hour night curfew from December 22 for the next 15 days. The night curfew will be imposed in major cities (municipal corporation areas) across the state. It has also clarified that night curfew means a gathering of more than five people will be prohibited between 11pm and 6am till January 5.