Covid alarm: Air India issues advisory for passengers from China, 4 other countries
As per the advisory, passengers from these countries will now have to undergo a mandatory RTPCR test within 72 hours of the journey and upload their report on the Air Suvidha portal from 1st January 2023.
- Dec 29, 2022,
- Updated Dec 29, 2022 7:47 PM IST
Amid the sudden Covid spike in some countries, Air India on Thursday issued a fresh travel advisory for all passengers travelling from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand.
As per the advisory, passengers from these countries will now have to undergo a mandatory RTPCR test within 72 hours of the journey and upload their report on the Air Suvidha portal from 1st January 2023.
The latest advisory comes hours after the Ministry of Health made the RTPCR test mandatory for passengers from these Covid-hit countries.
In a statement, the ministry said international passengers travelling to India from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand will be mandatorily required to undergo RT-PCR tests before their departure and upload the Covid negative RTPCR test report on Air Suvidha portal from 1st January 2023.
The test should have been conducted within 72 hours of undertaking the journey to India. This is in addition to the random 2 per cent tests of all international passengers on all incoming international flights on their arrival to India.
The random testing began to detect any new variant, which might be driving the Covid cases in these countries including China.
China is currently witnessing a high number of cases, reportedly due to the new BF.7 variant, a sub-lineage of Omicron. India has not seen any spike in its daily cases but experts fear that surge may happen in January.
Earlier in the day, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya reviewed the adequacy of Covid drugs and production capacities with representatives of pharma companies. He asked the pharma firms to keep a close watch on the global supply chain scenario.
Mandaviya also asked the companies to closely monitor the production and availability of APIs as well as formulations of essential medicines for Covid management. "Ensure adequate stocks and availability of all drugs including COVID drugs in the supply chain up to the retail level," the ministry said to pharma firms.
In the past 24 hours, India reported 268 news cases.
Amid the sudden Covid spike in some countries, Air India on Thursday issued a fresh travel advisory for all passengers travelling from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand.
As per the advisory, passengers from these countries will now have to undergo a mandatory RTPCR test within 72 hours of the journey and upload their report on the Air Suvidha portal from 1st January 2023.
The latest advisory comes hours after the Ministry of Health made the RTPCR test mandatory for passengers from these Covid-hit countries.
In a statement, the ministry said international passengers travelling to India from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand will be mandatorily required to undergo RT-PCR tests before their departure and upload the Covid negative RTPCR test report on Air Suvidha portal from 1st January 2023.
The test should have been conducted within 72 hours of undertaking the journey to India. This is in addition to the random 2 per cent tests of all international passengers on all incoming international flights on their arrival to India.
The random testing began to detect any new variant, which might be driving the Covid cases in these countries including China.
China is currently witnessing a high number of cases, reportedly due to the new BF.7 variant, a sub-lineage of Omicron. India has not seen any spike in its daily cases but experts fear that surge may happen in January.
Earlier in the day, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya reviewed the adequacy of Covid drugs and production capacities with representatives of pharma companies. He asked the pharma firms to keep a close watch on the global supply chain scenario.
Mandaviya also asked the companies to closely monitor the production and availability of APIs as well as formulations of essential medicines for Covid management. "Ensure adequate stocks and availability of all drugs including COVID drugs in the supply chain up to the retail level," the ministry said to pharma firms.
In the past 24 hours, India reported 268 news cases.