Omicron COVID variant: Mumbai airport issues new rules for South Africa arrivals; check here

Passengers travelling to Mumbai from South Africa will be tested and quarantined in wake of the new coronavirus variant called Omicron, announced Kishori Pednekar, Mayor of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in Mumbai on Saturday. The new variant has been detected in South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong and Israel.

Some of the samples taken from passengers will be sent for genome sequencing to check if they are carrying the new COVID-19 variant which has been declared as a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organisation (WHO)

"People are worried about the new Covid variant. Those people coming from South Africa will be quarantined and genome sequencing will be done with thorough checks," Pednekar said.

"Christmas is round the corner and many people from around the world will come to Maharashtra and Mumbai to their families. The BMC is taking all precautionary measures. This variant has become a matter of concern in many countries and hence, we need to be prepared," she added.

Pednekar also requested the Mumbaikars to continue wearing face masks, use sanitisers and keep maintaining social distancing.

As of now, no formal press release has been issued by the BMC or the Mumbai airport regarding quarantine rules for passengers who are travelling to Mumbai from South Africa.

Meanwhile, the government, on Friday, announced that scheduled international passenger flights will resume from December 15 after being suspended in March 2020. It also called for stringent screening of passengers from South Africa, Botswana, and Hong Kong.

"This variant... has serious public health implications in view of recently relaxed visa restrictions and opening of international travel," said the Union Health Ministry.

According to the government's decision airlines from December 15 will be allowed to operate 50 per cent of their pre-Covid scheduled passenger flights between India and South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana.

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