The Karnataka government on Tuesday, November 9 announced that visitors from the neighbouring state of Maharashtra need not carry a negative RT-PCR test report while on short trips. Those who visit for two days or less need not produce a negative COVID-19 test report. The decision by the Karnataka Health Department has been taken in the wake of decline in COVID-19 cases in both the states, sources said.
However, the order stated that the visitors must have been administered with both the doses of COVID-19 vaccination and should follow appropriate COVID-19 protocols during their visit. This will apply to travellers who arrive by bus, rail and air for a period of two days or less in Karnataka. Additionally, the visitors will have to also produce a valid return ticket to confirm their period of visit.
The visitors should not have any symptoms and carry a self declaration form with them, the order stated. Also,thermal scanning on their arrival is a must as per the directives of the health department.
“Persons complying the above norms strictly, may be exempted from mandatory RT-PCR negative test report for short duration of visit,” the order stated. The decision was taken in the recently held State Advisory Committee Meeting on COVID-19. According to the COVID-19 bulletin released by the Karnataka Health Department, Karnataka logged 293 fresh COVID-19 cases and four deaths on Tuesday, taking the total number of infections to 29.90 lakh and the toll to 38,122.
The day also saw 323 discharges, taking the total number of recoveries in the state so far to 29.44 lakh. Out of 293 new cases reported on Tuesday, 187 were from Bengaluru Urban, as the city saw 106 discharges and two deaths. The total number of active cases in the state is now 7,955.
Dakshina Kannada followed Bengaluru Urban in number of cases with 21, followed by Mysuru at 18, Kolar at 12, Hassan at 10, while the rest were scattered in other areas. Bengaluru Urban district topped the list of positive cases, with a total 12.53 lakh, followed by Mysuru at 1.79 lakh and Tumakuru 1.20 lakh. Among discharges too, Bengaluru Urban was on top with 12.30 lakh, followed by Mysuru 1.76 lakh and Tumakuru 1.19 lakh.
With IANS and PTI inputs