All asymptomatic travellers from high-risk States — Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh — will now be tested between the fifth and the seventh day of their arrival.
So far, they were being tested on the 12th day, just before release from quarantine. This comes in the wake of a high number of travellers from these places testing positive in Karnataka.
The State revised its lab testing protocols on Thursday. While Karnataka considered three States [Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat] on its list of high-prevalence States till May 20, now travellers from Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh will also be tested on priority.
Immediate tests
Those who are symptomatic (Influenza-Like Illnesses symptoms) will be tested immediately on arrival, stated an order issued by Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education) on Thursday.
All symptomatic individuals, who have undertaken international travel in the last 14 days, will be tested immediately on arrival.
The symptomatic primary contacts of confirmed cases will be tested immediately and if asymptomatic, on day 5 and day 10 of coming into contact with a positive case.
Secondary symptomatic contacts of positive cases and symptomatic healthcare workers, front-line workers involved in containment and mitigation of COVID-19 will be tested immediately, stated the revised order.
“Pooling of five samples has to be done at testing labs for asymptomatic international and inter-state returnees,” the order stated. All patients of Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) and ILI from containment zones and buffer zones will also be tested immediately.
All pregnant women from containment zones will be tested once, 14 days before the expected date of delivery. Similarly pregnant women and elderly persons (above 60 years) with symptoms of ILI/ SARI will also be tested immediately.
All persons with co-morbidity (HIV, tuberculosis, cancer, stroke, dialysis, organ transplant, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and other immuno-compromised) and having ILI symptoms will also be tested immediately.
Swab samples of suspected COVID-19 deaths with history of ILI/SARI symptoms should be taken within six hours of death, the order stated.
In view of the relaxation in movement of people and vehicles, the State Health Department has said that health screenings will no longer be conducted at inter-district check-posts.
“Any health screening for passengers travelling by public transport (buses and trains) will be done at the origin of the journey and only those passengers found asymptomatic will be allowed to travel. Those symptomatic should be taken to fever clinics,” the circular said.
“KSRTC and other bus corporations, Railways and private bus operators should ensure health screening of passengers before the start of the journey,” the circular stated adding that there will not be any health screening of passengers travelling by private vehicles across all districts in Karnataka.
