Omicron Scare: 7-Day Institutional Quarantine Mandatory For Flyers Coming From ‘At-Risk’ Nations in Maharashtra

By Spreadit English On Dec 1, 2021

After Delhi, Maharashtra has come up with a new set of guidelines to contain the spread of the Omnicron variant which is now active in 14 countries across the world. The Maharashtra government has made institutional quarantine mandatory for international passengers who are arriving from ‘at risk’ countries. As per reports, the orders to keep passengers in quarantine will be implemented immediately.

Speaking to a news channel, a source who is a part of the procedures in and out said that the state will pay for the quarantine and hotels for the passengers. As the new order is implemented, many flights to Mumbai may be cancelled, they added.

The list of countries that are marked ‘at risk’ are South Africa, the UK, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Mauritius, all 44 countries of Europe, Singapore and Israel.

#FlyAI : Intl Passengers for Maharashtra kindly note, order issued by Govt of Maharashtra require quarantine for all arriving from countries at risk & RTPCR test for other countries.

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Domestic passengers coming to Maharashtra require RTPCR report 48 hrs before departure. pic.twitter.com/RNeldW29CL

— Air India (@airindiain) November 30, 2021

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International passengers arriving from these countries will also go through RT-PCR test on the 2^nd,4^th and 7^th day of arrival, the authorities added in their latest guidelines. If they are found positive, they will be shifted to a hospital. Even if the test is negative, the passenger has to follow a 7-day home quarantine.

People coming from non-risk countries have to undergo an RT-PCR test at the airport. If they are found negative, they have to undergo 14 days of home quarantine and if positive, they will be shifted to a hospital. The latest guidelines came in as 6 passengers who arrived at Maharashtra were tested COVID positive. The 6 passengers came from South Africa. The passengers arrived in the limits of Mumbai, Kalyan – Dombivali, Mira-Bhayandar and Pune.

2 passengers who arrived from Nigeria were present in the Pimpri Chinchwad corporation area. The health department said that the samples of the 6 passengers are sent for genetic sequencing and contact tracing. The passengers are either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, the department added.

The Delhi government also implemented strict guidelines for the passengers. The passengers arriving at the Delhi airport have to undergo an RT-PCR test. The guidelines are similar to that of Maharashtra.

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