Karnataka govt issues fresh guidelines for people coming from Kerala

The Karnataka government onTuesday issued a fresh set of guidelines for people comingfrom Kerala, which has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases,saying these would come into force with immediate effect.

Based on recommendations of the Technical AdvisoryCommittee on COVID-19, new special surveillance measures forthose arriving from Kerala have been introduced, AdditionalChief Secretary Jawaid Akhtar said in a release.

It would now be mandatory for those arriving from thatstate and checking into hotels, resorts, hostels, home staysand dormitories to have a negative RT-PCR certificate, ''whichshould not be older than 72 hours.'' The government said positive samples would be sent toNIMHANS here for genomic sequencing.

Those in hostels and colleges would not be allowed tohave visitors or relatives without obtaining expresspermission from the Covid nodal officers.

A list of students travelling to and from Kerala fromhostels or colleges should be maintained by a competentauthority, the order said.

The government said students should compulsorily produceRT PCR negative test reports, not older than 72 hours, eachtime they return from Kerala and till the situation improves.

The order said that day scholars travelling from Keralato schools and colleges in any part of Karnataka would besubjected to RT-PCR test every fortnight.

Those who had already arrived to the state from Keralaover the past two weeks should compulsorily undergo this test.

The government said the authorities concerned have toappoint a nodal person in hostels and classes to monitor thestudents' health condition and that of others.

Anyone not complying with the order would immediately bereported to the nodal person or authorities and made to stayin the designated ''quarantine room ''in the facility till RT-PCR test report turned negative.

The government asked the authorities to ramp up testingand strengthen COVID-19 surveillance activities in allcolleges, residential facilities, which have accommodated thestudents and others from Kerala.