The Karnataka government on Saturday, April 30 announced new surveillance measures for international arrivals from Japan and Thailand to the state. The restrictions were in view of the recent spurt of COVID-19 cases in the two Asian countries.

The new guidelines for the arrivals mandate thermal screening on arrival for the passengers. "In addition, testing through RT-PCR should be done for the symptomatics at the Airport testing laboratory. And for those found Positive, the samples shall be sent for Genome Sequencing. Further treatment and management of COVID patients is to be followed as per the State protocol," read a circular issued by the state government's Health and Family Welfare Department.

"In view of the recent spurt of Covid-19 cases in China, Australia, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, New Zealand, Russia and South Korea, further surveillance may be required. Of the 8 countries, direct flight services to Bengaluru are available only from Japan and Thailand," read the circular.

The circular added that tele-monitoring of the international arrivals from Japan and Thailand will be done at the district level. “If the person develops symptoms during the follow-up period, testing, treatment and management of the case should be taken up as per the State protocol by the district teams.The positive samples shall be sent for genome sequencing," read the circular.

Karnataka has reported over 100 COVID-19 cases in the last four days. The state government has reiterated its mask mandate in the state in view of the slight uptick in cases.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday acknowledged that Karnataka has witnessed a slight rise in the number of COVID-19 cases since April 9, but said that it would be premature to term it as the ‘fourth wave’ of the pandemic.

Speaking to media persons in Hubballi, he said the rise in cases is being monitored and precautionary measures are being taken, and added that almost the entire state's eligible population has been vaccinated.